Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling

Series: Benedict, Book Two

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: ARC

Published: 7^th May 201

Number of Pages: 272

Book: For Review From OUP*

Genre: Paranormal, Dark Romance, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Action, YA

Recommended Age: 12+

Contains: Violence, Mild Swearing

No Alcohol, Drug References

Author's Blog: Joss Stirling

Yves' story.

This is about getting you out...I'm stealing you.

Phoenix belongs to the Community - a gang of thieves with paranormal powers. Yves Benedict - an American student visiting London - is her mark. But Yves turns out to be more than just a target. He is her destiny. Her soulmate. But the Community owns Phoenix's past and it wants her future too.

Review:

Phoenix is a thief, part of a secretive criminal group of Savants, known as the Community.  Life for her is difficult, and failing a job could end in death – your own.  So when a college boy seems to fight back against her powers during a run-of-the-mill theft, Phee knows how it can all end.  Not well.  Phoenix never expected the truth.  But what will she do when the leader of the Community tries to use her against her soulfinder?  And the whole of Savant Net?

Now, I read Finding Sky just a little while ago and adored it.  I loved the world, the romance, the characters: everything.  And I just couldn’t see how Stealing Phoenix was going to live up to it.  I am ever so pleased to say that the sequel completely surpassed the first!  There was more romance, more humour, more action, and more family drama.  So, if you haven’t guessed yet: I loved Stealing Phoenix!

Once again, I have to applaud Joss on her amazing characters: they’re so believable and, well, amazing!  Phoenix was a strong lead with the most incredible powers, which I won’t give away now – but let me tell you: I want them!  Phee has been damaged by previous events, stealing only because she has to.  Her life has been absolutely horrid, devoid of love, trust and normalcy.  Her gifts are the one thing she can count on, the one stable thing throughout everything.  For her, soulfinders are a myth, a pretty fairy-tale told to children to give them hope in an otherwise hopeless situation.  But that changes when she meets Yves, quite possibly the most amazing boy out there – I mean, cute and clever?  What more could a girl want in Prince Charming?  But underneath the self-consciousness, however, there’s energy, an internal fire burning within.  And, let me just add, he absolutely lives up to that “Yummy Yves” quote from Finding Sky: he’s perfect.  When Phoenix and Yves were together I laughed and “ahh”ed: they’re so cute and so wonderful together!  And, again, Joss Stirling managed to make the “soulmate” aspect completely and utterly believable. 

Plus the family side – which was my favourite aspect of Finding Sky – was just as perfect as ever, and just as realistic.  I felt the family bond, the familiar teasing which was so similar to that among my own family.  The friendship between Phee and Sky was particularly special, as it was the first one Phee had ever had, something that really got to me.  (What must it be like, to live eighteen years without a single true friend?)  Then there’s the brothers; Trace through to Zed, because, after all, A-B-C-etc. is far too boring!  Zed, in particular, absolutely kills me, though all the boys are hilarious: I love them to pieces!  While we’re on the subject, could I have a Benedict?  Please?

The plot was fast; I was dragged straight into the action.  And from then on in, it was non-stop: I didn’t – couldn’t – stop reading.  It just gripped me, and didn’t let me go until the very last word, which left me desperate for more.

Joss Stirling is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, and these two books about the Savants are definitely up there on my Top Ten list.  The moment I put down Stealing Phoenix I felt the desperation inside of me to just pick it up and read it all over again.  I am literally praying for a long, long, long series: I have to know if all of the brothers find their perfect soulfinder.  Also, I’m not sure how long I can live without my favourite characters!  An brilliant, fantastic book that is sure to have you dreaming about superpowers and telekinesis (in my dreams, I can read minds and lasso eggs). 

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Finding Sky by Joss Stirling

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

British Book Challenge (Hosted by The Bookette)

Happy Reading

Megan

* This book was received from OUP in exchange for an honest review

Finding Sky by Joss Stirling

Series: Benedict, Book One
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Paperback

Published: First: September 2010

This Edition: 2^nd June 2011

Number of Pages: 320

Book: Bought
Genre: Paranormal, Dark Romance, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Action, YA

Recommended Age: 12+

Contains: Violence, Death, Some Swearing

No Alcohol, Drug References

Author's Blog: Joss Stirling

Sky has a secret past.  Having buried the truth of her traumatic childhood deep inside, she’s something of a mystery, even to herself.

Starting a new school, she catches her first glimpse of Zed.  He stalks the corridors, a god-like creature among mortals.  Sky is dumbfounded when he seems drawn to her, but there’s more to Zed – and to Sky – than she realises.

You have half out gifts, I have the other…

Review:

Sky has been damaged by something – or someone – in her childhood: something she doesn’t remember.  It’s left her shy, scared and afraid to love.  She knows that love leads to hurt.  Sky was in foster care, unable to communicate, or even remember her own name, until, at the age of ten, Simon and Sally adopted her, and slowly brought her out of her shell.  Now the three of them have moved to the Colorado, USA to run an arts centre, where Sky meets bad-boy Zed, one of the seven Benedict brothers.  She can’t understand why he takes such an interest in her, or why she can hear his voice inside her head.  But then he reveals what he is, and a long suppressed truth about Sky is discovered…   Can Sky accept who she really is – in time to save Zed and the rest of his family?

Now, I read a lot of paranormal books.  This book stood out: it was so different, so unique and just, well, incredible.  The supernatural aspect is a brand new world with special people called Savants.  They all have individual gifts, such as mind reading, seeing the future, “handling energy” (creating explosions, fire) and healing.  Then they all have common powers: telepathic communication and telekinesis.  These gifts lead to a fair few laughs, and a few “lassoing the egg” comments (you’ll get that if you read Finding Sky).  But what I really loved was the whole Soulfinder aspect, which is the most romantic and inventive soul-mate idea I’ve ever read about.  Altogether, Finding Sky created a completely new kind of paranormal being: one that I would die to be.

Sky (whose full name is Sky Bright – Simon and Sally are the artistic type) is a self-conscious girl, who often feels as if she’s incomplete, like some part of her is missing.  I loved her, and the way her mind wandered.  She would come up with comic-book images and names to keep herself from getting hurt.  These nicknames were hilarious: “Elasto-man”, “Music Master, Harbinger of Doom” and “Wicked Wolfman”.  Mr Wolfman, also known as Zed, was brilliant.  He may act like the school’s bad-boy, with his bike and disrespect for authority, but underneath he was perfect.  With just the right amount of stubbornness, confidence and wonderful sweetness, I am officially Team Zed.  I love him!

The plot may not have been the fastest, but the concept was perfect.  The bad guy was evil.  The good guys were amazing.  And the romance was believable.  Even though there are soul-mates, there’s no love-at-first-sight.  Instead, the romance is slow, sweet, beautiful, perfect.  Once again, an aspect I’d die for.

Now I just have to mention the seven Benedict boys: Trace, Uriel, Victor, Will, Xavier, Yves and Zed (yes, really: T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z).  I loved them all, Zed, Xavier and Yves probably being my favourites.  They all made me laugh, the family dynamics were completely realistic, and they are just as good as the Drake boys, from The Drake Chronicles.  Their parents were just as wonderful, with their insanely brilliant mother, and strong, caring father.  And as for Sky’s parents, well, they would do anything for her and loved her so, so much – and for that, I loved them.

The single thing I would’ve liked to see is more action.  The majority of the book is a psychologically powerful struggle inside Sky’s head.  I just wish that there were more outward struggles sooner on, if that makes any sense.  The bad guys just weren’t as present as I would’ve liked, coming in around half-way through the book.  Then again, if they had been, there wouldn’t have been as much of the wonderfully romantic and touching scenes between Sky and Zed…  Hmm, I think I change my mind: it’s perfect.

I simply adore this world, with its humour, love, action and suspense.  I am so glad I don’t have to wait for the next book, that I have it right here beside me as I write this review.  I just hope that there is a long series in the future, with one for each brother’s Soulfinder perhaps?  Either way, I know that whatever Joss Stirling brings out next, I will be the first in line to buy.  Her mind is brilliant, her writing beautiful and her characters realistic.  I am off to read Stealing Phoenix, which is out September this year: I just know it’s going to be just as amazing as Finding Sky.

Star Rating:
4¾ Out of 5

                               

Read this book if you liked:

The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

British Book Challenge (Hosted by The Bookette)

Happy Reading

Megan