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/ From The Bookshelf

Book Review: Ascension of the Phoenix

Rating:
☆☆☆☆☆ 4/5
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Title: Ascension of the Phoenix

Author: Jessica Piro

Publication Date: August 24, 2020

Genre: Women’s Adventure Fiction; Suspense; Thriller

Cover:

This is a strong cover with the blood-red background and yellow title. The phoenix’s upward movement brings the phrase “a phoenix rising from the ashes” to mind, which fits beautifully with the theme of the book.

Premise

Leila Wells is a tough-as-nails New York City cop with a talent for martial arts. Haunted by an escaped serial killer, Bryan Foster, Leila finds her world crashing to the ground when Foster kills her partner. While Leila survives his attack, she becomes consumed with a need for revenge and funnels her rage into street fighting. When Leila and her fighting partner, Jamaal, are invited to an elite fighting competition on a private island, Leila is faced with confronting her past and her future.

Why I chose this book:

Author Jessica Piro requested this review. Piro’s trilogy caught my attention with its tough female lead!

First Impression:

The book opens with an action-packed chase scene, which I enjoyed! My interest waned somewhat after this as I struggled to connect with the main character, but it picked back up around chapter seven. I became even more invested when Jamaal entered the story.

What I loved:

One of Piro’s strengths is her ability to describe characters’ emotions and reactions. Reading that a person’s words hit like a “cavernous void sucking away her breath” leaves a clear impression with the reader. This becomes a critical skill later in the book when Piro dives deep into the dark forces at play within Leila. This dark side is what fuels her desire for revenge against Bryan Foster, and, ultimately, what drives her during the fighting competition. However, it threatens to take over every aspect of who she is. The reader feels her conflict and the war of emotions within her because Piro so clearly portrays it.

Not only is the book filled with action and fight sequences from beginning to end, but there are also underlying mysteries to be solved. Who is Bryan Foster? Why does he seem to be targeting Leila? When is he going to reappear? Why is a billionaire sponsoring a fighting event with a two-million-dollar prize? How does this billionaire know so much about the contestants who are living and fighting on his private island? It’s these aspects of the story that kept me entertained!

Additional Thoughts:

There were times when I had difficulty connecting with Leila as a character, which is unusual for me as I am almost always a fan of strong female leads. Initially, I did not find her likable even though I liked her supporting characters, David and Jamaal; however, she grew on me as I read. By the end of the story, she presented with more depth, and I saw a greater range of emotions from her as she confronted her loss and planned for her next moves.

While many parts of the book are well-written, I found certain sentences to feel somewhat clunky to the point of rereading them to ensure I understood. Piro is a talented writer and, in my opinion, editing certain parts of the book would only make it stronger and more reflective of her true ability as an author.

Quotable Quotes:

• “No need in worrying about your future; it will happen whether or not you like it. You can’t change your fate.”
• Other than a dog barking at something upsetting him somewhere in the distance, it was serene. No angry car horns, no screaming sirens, and no sweet promises between lovers, just the whispering wind dancing above the rippling waters of the lake.
• “I tell others to run from danger. I can’t run too.”
• The release felt good, like stretching in the morning, reawakening all her muscles. Leila kept a foot in the door, not giving full control to her dark side and allowing it to shut her out.

Who might enjoy this book:

Ascension of the Phoenix is ideal for readers who enjoy stories heavy on both action and mystery.

Overall Impression:

Four stars. If you enjoy action-themed books with a touch of mystery and romance, then Ascension of the Phoenix is an excellent choice. I found this to be an enjoyable read that I wanted to finish in order to unravel the mystery behind Bryan Foster and the real purpose of the fighting competition. While these questions were not answered, I have no doubt they will be in the next two books!

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