S.A. MacLean's first novel, The Phoenix Keeper, is a charming, cozy gem of a fantasy novel that's sure to appeal to fans of Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes or TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea. The titular phoenix keeper is Aila Macbhairan, an anxious, introverted zookeeper who has worked hard to achieve her childhood dream of working in the aviaries at the San Tamculo Zoo.
Now, what Aila really wants to do is to restart the zoo's Silimalo phoenix breeding program and help bring back her favorite phoenixes from the verge of extinction. After all, Silimalo phoenixes have only been able to survive thanks to breeding programs across the world's zoos. But Aila's anxiety has not made her a favorite with her zoo's top brass, since she has a tendency to hide in the aviary, away from visitors and coworkers alike--except for her best friend, Tanya. However, when poachers steal a nest of phoenix eggs from another zoo, Aila is determined to do what she must to save the Silimalo phoenixes, even if it means asking Luciana, the zoo's annoyingly confident griffin keeper who has superbly glossy hair, to assist with Aila's breeding program proposal.
Sweet and awkward Aila takes charge in a story of overcoming obstacles and realizing what she is truly capable of. Aila and Tanya are very funny together, and as Tanya slowly helps Aila come out of her shell and reach out to those around her--including the intimidatingly perfect Luciana--readers will root for Aila's success. --Jessica Howard, freelance book reviewer