Review: The Phoenix Illusion by Lisa Shearin

The Phoenix Illusion by Lisa Shearin

SPI Files #6

The agents of Supernatural Protection & Investigation (SPI) are used to dealing with the weird and the wacky, but even they are stunned when a building from another world suddenly appears on an empty lot in New York. . .

I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for SPI, and it’s just my luck that my birthday party is literally crashed by a building from another planet. And it’s not just any building—it’s my goblin boyfriend’s house from his home world. SPI’s mission, to keep the public clueless about the supernatural, has us scrambling to find who did this and why, not to mention how.

The deeper we dig, the more we realize this incident is the opening gambit to a much larger event. Old enemies have combined forces with an even older nemesis to develop the means to kidnap an entire building and everyone in it. But who, or what, is their ultimate target? Finding out and getting to the mark before they do will require all hands on deck, including some extraterrestrial help from the goblin home world. We’re running out of time, and if we can’t get our act together, we’ll have front-row seats for the end of the world as we know it.

Yet again, Lisa Shearin has knocked it out of the park again with THE PHOENIX ILLUSION. I really love how she seamlessly blends wit and humor right alongside a pretty intense and high stakes plot. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. This time around Makenna and crew are elbow deep in one heck of rabbit chase after an entire building appears out of nowhere from another dimension. And yet, not matter how dire the stakes got, the book never once lost that feeling of levity. I really enjoy a heroine who doesn't take herself too seriously no matter the stakes, and that perfectly fits Makenna. She's fierce and tough, but she's also not unrealistically powerful, which I appreciate. She's not afraid to step up and do what's needed to be done, but she also doesn't hesitate to let others more powerful than her jump in, instead. She's very level headed, and I love it. Add that to her quirkiness and overall spunk and she's the perfect recipe of a heroine.

I don't think I can quite express just how enjoyable reading this series is. It checks off all my favorites; awesomely high staked plot, check; incredible cast of characters, check; a smoking romance, check; more than plenty hilarious moments, check, check, check. Seriously, if you enjoy a fast paced, fun story full of adventure and a great cast of characters, look no further than THE PHOENIX ILLUSION and the entire SPI series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

Order Links:



Other Reviews:
     All Things Urban Fantasy

Previous Books:
     1. The Grendel Affair
     2. The Dragon Conspiracy
     3. The Brimstone Defection
     4. The Ghoul Vendetta
     5. Myth Manifestation

Blog Tour - Re-Read of The Trouble with Twelfth Grave + Giveaway

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave by Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson #12

Re-Read Thoughts:

With the final book in this epic series coming soon, this felt like the perfect to re-read Twelfth Grade in preparation. It was every bit as good the 2nd time around if not even better. However, I will say that the cliffhanger did not get one bit easier, but I honestly wasn't expecting it to. You can't soften that kind of ending! I really feel like this book is the perfect set up for the epic final showdown we've all be waiting for! I really appreciate just how fun, but rich and intensely full this series and books are, more than keeping my attention no matter how many re-reads. There aren't too many series that have that claim and this one's at the top. All in all, fantastic series whether it's the first read, or the tenth and I can't wait to see how everything pans out!

Scroll below for an awesome giveaway and my original review!

Ever since Reyes escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley accidently trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that’s not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she’s not uncovering a murder. This time she’s covering one up.

Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican’s inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it’s time to let loose her razor sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she’s loved for centuries. So the question becomes, can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she’s worked so hard to protect?

Enter for a chance to win the entire Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones, an ARC of the epic finale, Summoned to Thirteenth Grave, plus fun swag!
https://read.macmillan.com/promo/charleydavidsonseriessweeps

Original Review:

Holy mother of cliffhangers batman! I'm honestly not even sure how to write this review as I can't get past that ending, even a week after finishing. The book was utterly fantastic, a bit short, but ultimately incredible. But that ending? It ripped out my heart, put it in a blender, and sadistically pushed the puree setting. Just wow.

Cliffhangers aside and out of my system. THE TROUBLE WITH TWELFTH GRAVE continued the series in normal snarky Charley style. Reyes is up to no good throughout most of the book and Charley is in a tailspin trying to bring down her own weakness. Things continue in a Scooby Doo gang style as they all group to try and figure out just what to do with the Reyes problem. It made for a really enjoyable read.

All in all THE TROUBLE WITH TWELFTH GRAVE is a fantastic installment in the Charley Davidson series that I thoroughly enjoyed. And after that ending I'm desperate to get my hands on the final installment next year. Fans of the series will be more than pleased!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

Order Links:



Other Reviews:
     Between Dreams and Reality
     All Things Urban Fantasy
     Gizmo's Reviews

Previous Books:
     1. First Grave on the Right
     2. Second Grave on the Left
     3. Third Grade Dead Ahead
     4. Fourth Grave Beneath My Feat
     5. Fifth Grave Past the Light
     6. Sixth Grave on the Edge
     7. Seventh Grave and No Body
     8. Eighth Grave After Dark
     9. The Dirt on Ninth Grave
     10. The Curse of Tenth Grave
     11. Eleventh Grave in Moonlight