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Seasons of Music and Magic #3
Fall of the Forgotten Phoenix: A Firebird Retelling
A wandering prince. An immortal sorcerer. A myth reborn.
Prince Ivan has never been very good with directions. After wandering off the path and losing his way in the mountains of Autumn, he stumbles into a beautiful garden full of incredibly life-like statues. Even more surprising, the garden is home to a long-forgotten creature remembered only in bedtime stories and nursery a Phoenix. Intrigued, Ivan decides to stick around, only to discover that the garden is home to more inhabitants than a lone firebird.
Anastasia can’t remember anything from her past other than an endless cycle of fire and ash. As a prisoner of the sorcerer Koschei, it seems like death and flames are all that the future holds for her as well. When a handsome stranger stumbles into her cage, pieces of her forgotten past begin to resurface, and something that feels suspiciously like hope sparks to life inside her. Could it really be possible that a life exists for her outside of Koschei’s garden?
But the garden holds more surprises than a firebird and an amnesic maiden. Armed only with a Phoenix feather and his terrible sense of direction, Ivan is determined to free Anastasia from the web of mystery and enchantment. Will one wish be enough to destroy an immortal sorcerer and fan their love into flames, or will both Ivan and Anastasia go down in smoke and ashes?
Seasons of Music and Magic is a series of four retellings of fairy tales found in classic operas and ballets, each featuring a unique cast of endearing characters, sweet romance, humor, and a happily-ever-after. The stories stand alone and can be read in any order, so experience the music and magic of Faerie at any time.
Prince Ivan has never been very good with directions. After wandering off the path and losing his way in the mountains of Autumn, he stumbles into a beautiful garden full of incredibly life-like statues. Even more surprising, the garden is home to a long-forgotten creature remembered only in bedtime stories and nursery a Phoenix. Intrigued, Ivan decides to stick around, only to discover that the garden is home to more inhabitants than a lone firebird.
Anastasia can’t remember anything from her past other than an endless cycle of fire and ash. As a prisoner of the sorcerer Koschei, it seems like death and flames are all that the future holds for her as well. When a handsome stranger stumbles into her cage, pieces of her forgotten past begin to resurface, and something that feels suspiciously like hope sparks to life inside her. Could it really be possible that a life exists for her outside of Koschei’s garden?
But the garden holds more surprises than a firebird and an amnesic maiden. Armed only with a Phoenix feather and his terrible sense of direction, Ivan is determined to free Anastasia from the web of mystery and enchantment. Will one wish be enough to destroy an immortal sorcerer and fan their love into flames, or will both Ivan and Anastasia go down in smoke and ashes?
Seasons of Music and Magic is a series of four retellings of fairy tales found in classic operas and ballets, each featuring a unique cast of endearing characters, sweet romance, humor, and a happily-ever-after. The stories stand alone and can be read in any order, so experience the music and magic of Faerie at any time.
285 pages, Paperback
Published December 30, 2023
10 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Beran
29 books185 followersSarah lives in sunny southern California with her husband, two small children, and dog Pippin. An elementary music teacher by day, when she is not writing or devouring books she spends her free time running, making music, or playing make believe.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 26, 2025
4 stars ⭐️ Clean Fiction - (obscure) Fairytale Retelling
Trigger warning for manipulation behaviors & verbal abuse by a villain.
Just like all the other books I’ve read by this author so far, I was quickly sucked into this story with trying to figure out what was happening with Ana. Ana’s part of this story is sadder and a bit rougher than the prior books—especially because of the manipulation and abuse she’s gone through by the villain.
Ivan’s dad was great—a great father and a great king, once we saw the two of them together. Ivan is a massive overthinker and honestly a coward as well, which made his character growth and Ana’s influence on him so good to see. I do think the ending was a bit rushed and would have liked more, but the latter has been my “complaint” throughout the series so far because I really like all of these characters and the setting and don’t want to say goodbye.
I was a bit confused by Ivan and Natalia’s younger siblings, though, because at one point it’s said there’s nine of them total, but they have seven are brothers, but then they have younger sisters as well. It feels like one of those tricky math questions that made me want to pull my hair out in fifth grade. 🤷♀️
I loved that Avi made yet another appearance in this series. I need him to have his own series or story about his adventures. 😂 Also, Soba was adorable and I take back anything I’ve said about wolves being overused in fantasy books.
This book had the least about of magic, I would say compared to the prior books in the series. While technically could be read out of order, I suppose, I would highly suggest reading them in order to be able to understand everything clearly enough.
Main Content-
Set in the Faerie realm & there are many different types of fae in this world (brownies, dryads, gnomes, dwarves, fauns, nymph, sirens, phoenixes, pixies, water sprites, and also wizards that are like the caretakers of the world; There are creatures like basilisks, centaurs, chimera, dragons, griffins, and manticores); All fae can learn to harness Natural magic through music, but elves are able to use their ability to use Creative magic and create new things; Because of this, some elves believe they are more important than the “lesser fae” or those with mixed bloodlines and are prejudice and rude towards others (seen on page); Magic in this world can be felt by those with Natural magic (connected to the earth and is a song praise to the Almighty) or sung and used to create things with Creative magic; Ana is summoned by the villain with a rope of light appearing and tugging on her wrist; A phoenix/firebird is able to speak to other faes through their mind, the tears from this fae are able to heal others from the brink of death, and the feathers are able to grant wishes (all of this happens on page); Waypoints are gates that can take you to another place in the Faerie realm, if you know the song to sing to get there.
Prayers to the Almighty; The villain had turned away from the Almighty and has a plan where not even the Almighty will be able to stand in the way.
Many mentions of phoenixes/firebirds, getting a wish from a feather, their tears being used for healing, & them dying and being reborn; Mentions of magic & spells; Mentions of the Almighty & praying (’H’s are not capital when referring to the Almighty); A couple mentions of blessings from the Almighty; A mention of a priest.
Fictional word phrases/curses like “realms”, “realm-forsaken”, “no way in the realms”, “how in the realms”, “what in the realms”, “why in all the realms”, “thank the realms” are used (some as exclamations); A couple curses are said, but not written out (by Ivan); Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Lots of fire, pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, being drugged and having amnesia, & Ana has something similar to a panic attack; Fighting & Seeing someone being destroyed in a fire (up to a couple sentences); Seeing someone die and grief (up to a couple sentences); *Spoilers* *Major Spoilers* .
Ana is being manipulated by the villain (along with being drugged and emotionally abused) and because of his influence, she manipulates Ivan once (which they talk about her lying to him and she is upset that she did that to him); Ana lies that she’s fine a few times (when she’s not) & also to the villain; Ivan feels like he is lacking and that he isn’t enough to become the crown prince (also insecure about it because his father hasn’t announced him as the heir); Ivan feels guilt for not standing up for another (his friend).
Many mentions of fire, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of someone being shot with an arrow; Mentions of thieves & stealing; Mentions of nightmares & a child screaming; A few mentions of lies & liars; A couple mentions of hunters & catching a rabbit; A couple mentions of gossip; A mention of possible war; A mention of jealousy.
1 forehead kiss,
1 cheek kiss,
2 kisses lasting a sentence or two.
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Nearness, Smelling, & Noticing (up to a couple sentences); Ivan and Ana sleep near each other to stay warm (he voices that it isn’t his idea nor is he tricking her into snuggling with him).
The villain tells Ana that they are betrothed & gets into her personal space and touches her face a few times; At one point (while being drugged), Ana has the urge to kiss him, but another part of herself reacts to the thought with a gag; The villain implies about having a child with her or someone else with the Phoenix bloodline.
A young woman/elf blatantly flirts with Ivan and at one point shifts her posture to “show off her figure to its fullest advantage”; Later, the young woman/elf wears a dress with a plunging neckline and Ivan forces his attention to remain on her face instead; The young elf takes a bite of an apple in a seductive way (not written with that word, but implied).
Mentions of flirting, blushes, & eyelashes fluttering; A few mentions of reputations; A couple mentions of jealousy.
Trigger warning for manipulation behaviors & verbal abuse by a villain.
Just like all the other books I’ve read by this author so far, I was quickly sucked into this story with trying to figure out what was happening with Ana. Ana’s part of this story is sadder and a bit rougher than the prior books—especially because of the manipulation and abuse she’s gone through by the villain.
Ivan’s dad was great—a great father and a great king, once we saw the two of them together. Ivan is a massive overthinker and honestly a coward as well, which made his character growth and Ana’s influence on him so good to see. I do think the ending was a bit rushed and would have liked more, but the latter has been my “complaint” throughout the series so far because I really like all of these characters and the setting and don’t want to say goodbye.
I was a bit confused by Ivan and Natalia’s younger siblings, though, because at one point it’s said there’s nine of them total, but they have seven are brothers, but then they have younger sisters as well. It feels like one of those tricky math questions that made me want to pull my hair out in fifth grade. 🤷♀️
I loved that Avi made yet another appearance in this series. I need him to have his own series or story about his adventures. 😂 Also, Soba was adorable and I take back anything I’ve said about wolves being overused in fantasy books.
This book had the least about of magic, I would say compared to the prior books in the series. While technically could be read out of order, I suppose, I would highly suggest reading them in order to be able to understand everything clearly enough.
Main Content-
Set in the Faerie realm & there are many different types of fae in this world (brownies, dryads, gnomes, dwarves, fauns, nymph, sirens, phoenixes, pixies, water sprites, and also wizards that are like the caretakers of the world; There are creatures like basilisks, centaurs, chimera, dragons, griffins, and manticores); All fae can learn to harness Natural magic through music, but elves are able to use their ability to use Creative magic and create new things; Because of this, some elves believe they are more important than the “lesser fae” or those with mixed bloodlines and are prejudice and rude towards others (seen on page); Magic in this world can be felt by those with Natural magic (connected to the earth and is a song praise to the Almighty) or sung and used to create things with Creative magic; Ana is summoned by the villain with a rope of light appearing and tugging on her wrist; A phoenix/firebird is able to speak to other faes through their mind, the tears from this fae are able to heal others from the brink of death, and the feathers are able to grant wishes (all of this happens on page); Waypoints are gates that can take you to another place in the Faerie realm, if you know the song to sing to get there.
Prayers to the Almighty; The villain had turned away from the Almighty and has a plan where not even the Almighty will be able to stand in the way.
Many mentions of phoenixes/firebirds, getting a wish from a feather, their tears being used for healing, & them dying and being reborn; Mentions of magic & spells; Mentions of the Almighty & praying (’H’s are not capital when referring to the Almighty); A couple mentions of blessings from the Almighty; A mention of a priest.
Fictional word phrases/curses like “realms”, “realm-forsaken”, “no way in the realms”, “how in the realms”, “what in the realms”, “why in all the realms”, “thank the realms” are used (some as exclamations); A couple curses are said, but not written out (by Ivan); Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Lots of fire, pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, being drugged and having amnesia, & Ana has something similar to a panic attack; Fighting & Seeing someone being destroyed in a fire (up to a couple sentences); Seeing someone die and grief (up to a couple sentences); *Spoilers* *Major Spoilers* .
Ana is being manipulated by the villain (along with being drugged and emotionally abused) and because of his influence, she manipulates Ivan once (which they talk about her lying to him and she is upset that she did that to him); Ana lies that she’s fine a few times (when she’s not) & also to the villain; Ivan feels like he is lacking and that he isn’t enough to become the crown prince (also insecure about it because his father hasn’t announced him as the heir); Ivan feels guilt for not standing up for another (his friend).
Many mentions of fire, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of someone being shot with an arrow; Mentions of thieves & stealing; Mentions of nightmares & a child screaming; A few mentions of lies & liars; A couple mentions of hunters & catching a rabbit; A couple mentions of gossip; A mention of possible war; A mention of jealousy.
1 forehead kiss,
1 cheek kiss,
2 kisses lasting a sentence or two.
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Nearness, Smelling, & Noticing (up to a couple sentences); Ivan and Ana sleep near each other to stay warm (he voices that it isn’t his idea nor is he tricking her into snuggling with him).
The villain tells Ana that they are betrothed & gets into her personal space and touches her face a few times; At one point (while being drugged), Ana has the urge to kiss him, but another part of herself reacts to the thought with a gag; The villain implies about having a child with her or someone else with the Phoenix bloodline.
A young woman/elf blatantly flirts with Ivan and at one point shifts her posture to “show off her figure to its fullest advantage”; Later, the young woman/elf wears a dress with a plunging neckline and Ivan forces his attention to remain on her face instead; The young elf takes a bite of an apple in a seductive way (not written with that word, but implied).
Mentions of flirting, blushes, & eyelashes fluttering; A few mentions of reputations; A couple mentions of jealousy.
January 7, 2024
A Phoenix Tale Worth Reading Again and Again!
I always love Sarah Beran books, and this one only solidified her place in my top favorite authors. Prince Ivan and the Firebird is one of my favorite fairy tales, but one that I never see retold, so I was really excited when she announced it.
The HEARTACHE in this book!!!
I finished reading this one while I was out in public and I got several looks as I SOBBED over the last third of this book. I loved seeing Ivan’s character development and loved how Ana challenged him.
There were puns and jokes (naturally—it IS a Sarah Beran book!) but there was also angst and high stakes and psychological manipulation (from the villain) in the most spectacular of ways that left me reeling.
This book is INCREDIBLE!!! 10/10 and I absolutely will be buying a physical copy for my personal library!
I always love Sarah Beran books, and this one only solidified her place in my top favorite authors. Prince Ivan and the Firebird is one of my favorite fairy tales, but one that I never see retold, so I was really excited when she announced it.
The HEARTACHE in this book!!!
I finished reading this one while I was out in public and I got several looks as I SOBBED over the last third of this book. I loved seeing Ivan’s character development and loved how Ana challenged him.
There were puns and jokes (naturally—it IS a Sarah Beran book!) but there was also angst and high stakes and psychological manipulation (from the villain) in the most spectacular of ways that left me reeling.
This book is INCREDIBLE!!! 10/10 and I absolutely will be buying a physical copy for my personal library!
October 23, 2025
Content:
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild-High mild. Character shot by arrow, minimal blood depicted. Implied magical torture (screams in background). Threats of violence/killing. Death/murder happens in past, told in the present without being descriptive. Broken bones, scrapes, bruises.
Sexual: Mild. Hand-holding, hugs, and chaste kisses.
Triggers: Deals heavily with a manipulative and emotionally abusive caretaker. Huge spoilers:
A 3.5 rounded up
This is my least favorite so far of the series. The first thing that had me struggling was Ivan. He's a toxic people pleaser. He's so scared of offending anyone that he lets everyone walk all over him, and he doesn't defend people who deserve defending because he worries about said offense. It made me dislike him immensely almost from the start. It was hard to give him grace after he leaves a close friend high and dry because he freezes up.
It got better as we get to know Ivan, and as the people around him give him advice/lectures about how his actions and inactions are not hurting just him.
Ana has the absolute worst background ever, as we learn her story in bits and pieces along the way. It was hard to read. Koschei is a complete monster. In every way he either committed atrocities or threatened them. Everything from murder, manipulation, blackmail, forced marriage, physical and emotional abuse, etc. Ana is his main punching bag. Her entire story was tragic, and it was hard for me to get through. Thankfully Sarah Beran doesn't go into deep description about his evil activities, as much of it was left up to the reader to fill in the blank of how bad it was.
I enjoyed Natalia and Rogi's relationship and wished we could've seen more of it, rather than be told most of it. The extra info about Natural magic in this one was interesting too! Each book gives more tidbits about the magic in this fae realm and how it works.
So, not the best of the bunch, but still an entertaining read.
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild-High mild. Character shot by arrow, minimal blood depicted. Implied magical torture (screams in background). Threats of violence/killing. Death/murder happens in past, told in the present without being descriptive. Broken bones, scrapes, bruises.
Sexual: Mild. Hand-holding, hugs, and chaste kisses.
Triggers: Deals heavily with a manipulative and emotionally abusive caretaker. Huge spoilers:
A 3.5 rounded up
This is my least favorite so far of the series. The first thing that had me struggling was Ivan. He's a toxic people pleaser. He's so scared of offending anyone that he lets everyone walk all over him, and he doesn't defend people who deserve defending because he worries about said offense. It made me dislike him immensely almost from the start. It was hard to give him grace after he leaves a close friend high and dry because he freezes up.
It got better as we get to know Ivan, and as the people around him give him advice/lectures about how his actions and inactions are not hurting just him.
Ana has the absolute worst background ever, as we learn her story in bits and pieces along the way. It was hard to read. Koschei is a complete monster. In every way he either committed atrocities or threatened them. Everything from murder, manipulation, blackmail, forced marriage, physical and emotional abuse, etc. Ana is his main punching bag. Her entire story was tragic, and it was hard for me to get through. Thankfully Sarah Beran doesn't go into deep description about his evil activities, as much of it was left up to the reader to fill in the blank of how bad it was.
I enjoyed Natalia and Rogi's relationship and wished we could've seen more of it, rather than be told most of it. The extra info about Natural magic in this one was interesting too! Each book gives more tidbits about the magic in this fae realm and how it works.
So, not the best of the bunch, but still an entertaining read.
May 11, 2025
~3.70 rounded up
February 26, 2025
Fiery Friendship to Love
This is my favorite of the series so far. The connection between leads had a nice build up. Both supported each other. The mystery of Ana's memory was interesting. The only thing really holding this story back was the climax and lack of explanation at the end.
Ivan was an interesting prince, who struggled with the diplomatic pressures of his position. I liked how the book illustrated his listing of pros and cons for decision making as it showed he knew to consider the broader impacts of his choices, while also showing how indecision or trying to make everyone else happy can be paralyzing and futile.
Ana and the phoenix portrayal were interesting. She had a fiery temper, but usually was good at controlling it, since her fire could actually hurt people. This put her a step above other 'fiery' heroines who are just obnoxious. The mystery about her memories and past were interesting and well conveyed, especially in the beginning. It set an ominous tone that immediately felt different from the previous books.
As for the romance, it's a slow burn, with an almost enemies to friends to lovers feel, though they were never actual adversaries. I tend to like watching the characters get to know each other before confessing love, so this was a plus for me, though I do wish we got a bit more romance as the end felt rushed.
My biggest gripe was really with the climax. As a smaller gripe, the story just seemed to drop the fact that royalty marrying 'lesser fae' could be unpopular at Court after bringing that up several times earlier in the book and having it be such a big part of other books in the series. It's not a story element I'm particularly interested in, but if it's harped on multiple times, then I expect some sort of followup.
This is my favorite of the series so far. The connection between leads had a nice build up. Both supported each other. The mystery of Ana's memory was interesting. The only thing really holding this story back was the climax and lack of explanation at the end.
Ivan was an interesting prince, who struggled with the diplomatic pressures of his position. I liked how the book illustrated his listing of pros and cons for decision making as it showed he knew to consider the broader impacts of his choices, while also showing how indecision or trying to make everyone else happy can be paralyzing and futile.
Ana and the phoenix portrayal were interesting. She had a fiery temper, but usually was good at controlling it, since her fire could actually hurt people. This put her a step above other 'fiery' heroines who are just obnoxious. The mystery about her memories and past were interesting and well conveyed, especially in the beginning. It set an ominous tone that immediately felt different from the previous books.
As for the romance, it's a slow burn, with an almost enemies to friends to lovers feel, though they were never actual adversaries. I tend to like watching the characters get to know each other before confessing love, so this was a plus for me, though I do wish we got a bit more romance as the end felt rushed.
My biggest gripe was really with the climax. As a smaller gripe, the story just seemed to drop the fact that royalty marrying 'lesser fae' could be unpopular at Court after bringing that up several times earlier in the book and having it be such a big part of other books in the series. It's not a story element I'm particularly interested in, but if it's harped on multiple times, then I expect some sort of followup.
January 4, 2024
Fall of the Forgotten Phoenix was by far the most original retelling I have ever had the privilege of reading (and I have read many!) It's next to impossible to tell you why I was so impressed without dropping a few spoilers, so suffice it to say that there is much more to the phoenix than one would at first assume! One of the things that is most enchanting about the Seasons of Music and Magic series is the unforgettable way that Sarah weaves music into the story by turning melodies into magic. This creative magic (exclusive to elves) is different to the natural magic of the "lesser" fae - dryads, nymphs, dwarves etc. leading many elves to develop an unhealthy superiority complex akin to racism in the real world. It was wonderful to see how the royal elves of Autumn battled against this and were determined to value all fae the same. This mindset was truly one worth emulating in our own lives.
Prince Ivan was a very relatable character as I too can be extremely indecisive, and I think that’s a problem shared by many! But this book showed me just how harmful being indecisive and especially being determined to avoid conflict can be. In fact avoiding conflict only creates problems rather than solving them. Thankfully, Ivan had two very wise women in his life (his twin and his friend) to set him straight and their words resonated a great deal with me, so I’m quoting them here but not chronologically:
“… sometimes conflict is needed. Wrongs can’t be righted unless they’re called out.” Ana when Ivan refused to tell her how she’d offended him. When she pointed this out, she changed his entire mindset and he realised that to be a strong ruler one must be willing to stand for what’s right and against what’s wrong and if that involves offending someone (even someone powerful who may hurt you) then so be it! At the end of the book Ivan put this new mindset into practise by refusing to do something that would eventually cause harm to himself and his entire kingdom and I felt like applauding really loudly and dancing around the room because Ivan was finally ready to be a KING! It was truly encouraging to see the way he embraced the wisdom of the ladies who knew better than him and let it change him for the better instead of getting self-defensive as a lot of us would have done!
Ana often made Ivan realise that not confronting a problem only tends to worsen it rather than make it better. As Natalia said earlier in the book:
“You think you need to keep everyone happy, but all it does is make us mad. At you.” These words were spoken when Ivan inadvertently hurt one of his best friends for fear of offending a lady he wasn’t even interested in! Walking with Ivan on his journey of self-discovery and watching him finally become the courageous man he was always meant to be is something I will always treasure doing! I am no stranger to conflict (I am far more like Natalia who is without a doubt one of the most awesome characters I have ever had the privilege of getting to know!) but this book really made me take a long hard look at my own stance towards conflict and rethink it – after all, enjoying it too much is also harmful!
Truly this book taught many great life lessons which I shall most definitely be taking into 2024 and beyond:
One is not better than another simply because one has a different skillset (or as in this book, a different kind of magic!)
All fae (and humans) have value and should not be disparaged or seen as lesser simply because they are different
Avoiding conflict is cowardice not courage!
It is not possible to make everyone happy and we should not try to do so at the expense of doing what is right
Condoning evil is emulating evil
I could go on but then we’d be here until next week, so I’ll leave it at that.
I have truth be told, only read Sarah’s Seasons of Music and Magic series and To Crack a Soldier which is a charming standalone book set in the same world. Each book was a retelling and each book was magnificent, weaving music throughout each page like a delightful concerto for the imagination. However Fall of the Forgotten Phoenix broke Sarah’s usual pattern slightly by tackling far darker themes than usual and it had a little more cruelty and violence in it than previously seen. Again, it is hard to go into detail without including spoilers but should you read the book you will see what I mean. She tackled grief, pain, cruelty, wickedness, captivity, personal-growth, happiness, personal challenges and much more in Fall of the Forgotten Phoenix and once again proved herself to be a maestro of writing! There were highly amusing elements in this book (Ivan’s tendency to get lost and trust a wolf-pup of all creatures to lead him home had me laughing out loud!) and they blended perfectly with the darker more heavy themes to create a musical masterpiece that only Sarah herself could possibly have written, for she is a talent beyond talents!
And on that note I must just add one last thing: Having read Sarah’s version of dark I am personally requesting an encore! Please Sarah, keep tackling the harder more difficult to bear topics in your writing for it transforms your readers and turns us into better, wiser people than before!
I was privileged to receive the only ARC copy of this book, at my request, and you can rest assured that all these opinions are my own and were gladly given for no reward other than the priceless privilege of reading Sarah’s words early.
(For those of you who are interested, I interviewed Sarah on Instagram Live and that video can be found at my BritishvoiceSAstyle YouTube channel. She proved herself to be just as wise and relatable in real life as she does in her books and it was a thoroughly enjoyable interview that I’m sure you too will enjoy!)
Prince Ivan was a very relatable character as I too can be extremely indecisive, and I think that’s a problem shared by many! But this book showed me just how harmful being indecisive and especially being determined to avoid conflict can be. In fact avoiding conflict only creates problems rather than solving them. Thankfully, Ivan had two very wise women in his life (his twin and his friend) to set him straight and their words resonated a great deal with me, so I’m quoting them here but not chronologically:
“… sometimes conflict is needed. Wrongs can’t be righted unless they’re called out.” Ana when Ivan refused to tell her how she’d offended him. When she pointed this out, she changed his entire mindset and he realised that to be a strong ruler one must be willing to stand for what’s right and against what’s wrong and if that involves offending someone (even someone powerful who may hurt you) then so be it! At the end of the book Ivan put this new mindset into practise by refusing to do something that would eventually cause harm to himself and his entire kingdom and I felt like applauding really loudly and dancing around the room because Ivan was finally ready to be a KING! It was truly encouraging to see the way he embraced the wisdom of the ladies who knew better than him and let it change him for the better instead of getting self-defensive as a lot of us would have done!
Ana often made Ivan realise that not confronting a problem only tends to worsen it rather than make it better. As Natalia said earlier in the book:
“You think you need to keep everyone happy, but all it does is make us mad. At you.” These words were spoken when Ivan inadvertently hurt one of his best friends for fear of offending a lady he wasn’t even interested in! Walking with Ivan on his journey of self-discovery and watching him finally become the courageous man he was always meant to be is something I will always treasure doing! I am no stranger to conflict (I am far more like Natalia who is without a doubt one of the most awesome characters I have ever had the privilege of getting to know!) but this book really made me take a long hard look at my own stance towards conflict and rethink it – after all, enjoying it too much is also harmful!
Truly this book taught many great life lessons which I shall most definitely be taking into 2024 and beyond:
One is not better than another simply because one has a different skillset (or as in this book, a different kind of magic!)
All fae (and humans) have value and should not be disparaged or seen as lesser simply because they are different
Avoiding conflict is cowardice not courage!
It is not possible to make everyone happy and we should not try to do so at the expense of doing what is right
Condoning evil is emulating evil
I could go on but then we’d be here until next week, so I’ll leave it at that.
I have truth be told, only read Sarah’s Seasons of Music and Magic series and To Crack a Soldier which is a charming standalone book set in the same world. Each book was a retelling and each book was magnificent, weaving music throughout each page like a delightful concerto for the imagination. However Fall of the Forgotten Phoenix broke Sarah’s usual pattern slightly by tackling far darker themes than usual and it had a little more cruelty and violence in it than previously seen. Again, it is hard to go into detail without including spoilers but should you read the book you will see what I mean. She tackled grief, pain, cruelty, wickedness, captivity, personal-growth, happiness, personal challenges and much more in Fall of the Forgotten Phoenix and once again proved herself to be a maestro of writing! There were highly amusing elements in this book (Ivan’s tendency to get lost and trust a wolf-pup of all creatures to lead him home had me laughing out loud!) and they blended perfectly with the darker more heavy themes to create a musical masterpiece that only Sarah herself could possibly have written, for she is a talent beyond talents!
And on that note I must just add one last thing: Having read Sarah’s version of dark I am personally requesting an encore! Please Sarah, keep tackling the harder more difficult to bear topics in your writing for it transforms your readers and turns us into better, wiser people than before!
I was privileged to receive the only ARC copy of this book, at my request, and you can rest assured that all these opinions are my own and were gladly given for no reward other than the priceless privilege of reading Sarah’s words early.
(For those of you who are interested, I interviewed Sarah on Instagram Live and that video can be found at my BritishvoiceSAstyle YouTube channel. She proved herself to be just as wise and relatable in real life as she does in her books and it was a thoroughly enjoyable interview that I’m sure you too will enjoy!)
September 20, 2024
Prince Ivan has lost his way. Again. This time in the middle of garden. It’s a flaw that’s not exactly ideal in a prince. Yet the prince’s lack of navigation skills goes beyond the physical sense. He’s a prince that doesn’t know himself, that finds it safer to flee than cause the slightest disturbance in his world. He’s running around in circles, one where in his efforts to please the loudest voices in the realm, he ends up on the same disappointing path. Not just for him, but those watching him, like his sister and his father. Regrettably, it makes them wonder about trusting the crown to him. Yet we still like the prince because we know just as they do that even with this terrible fault, he has a good heart, and he does want what’s best for the realm. And that’s why he struggles so much in this area. Because he is so afraid that one of his decisions could hurt his people when the time comes. He understands the impact would be felt not with just one person, but over a nation. Yet, it’s equally frustrating to watch the prince as this same fear and doubt cripple him, keeping him from being the prince, the leader that we know lies waiting to be unearthed. He’s not the only one in a fog of sorts though.
Anastasia stays lost most of the time as well. Not in the physical sense like the prince by any means. The garden. She must always get back to the garden and could probably get there in her sleep. It’s the one thing she can always remember. After that, it’s an endless struggle, from her name to the people around her to a conversation she had with someone earlier in the day. Every minute is its own frustration as she thinks she remembers a piece, but then she doesn’t. Like seeing a glimpse of an image, only to have it snatched from view at the last second. And then there are these feelings that crop up, but she has no reference point for why she feels that way and yet somehow she realizes she should know. Yet for Anatasia, it’s locked away somehow, waiting to be unearthed as well, but a part of us fears what happens when it is unearthed. Because inside we already know that whatever it is will be ugly and painful for Anatasia, the story of what she has endured, and no one would want her to remember. However, we’re already able to see that Anatasia is an image of strength without knowing her story yet, and she’s willing to sacrifice herself to keep others safe.
And she gives that same strength to others. Even to wayward princes like Prince Ivan, and he finally grabs hold of it:
“When I do marry, it will be to a fae who not only loves me for who I am, but who also inspires and pushes me to be better than I am. It will not be to someone who sees me merely as a stepping stone to a greater power. I am a servant of the Court, but I will not be a tool.”
It’s an impassioned proclamation by the crowned prince who at long last finds his way because of his phoenix that refused to have her fire extinguished. Prince Ivan has discovered that something or more importantly, someone is worth fighting to save.
Anastasia stays lost most of the time as well. Not in the physical sense like the prince by any means. The garden. She must always get back to the garden and could probably get there in her sleep. It’s the one thing she can always remember. After that, it’s an endless struggle, from her name to the people around her to a conversation she had with someone earlier in the day. Every minute is its own frustration as she thinks she remembers a piece, but then she doesn’t. Like seeing a glimpse of an image, only to have it snatched from view at the last second. And then there are these feelings that crop up, but she has no reference point for why she feels that way and yet somehow she realizes she should know. Yet for Anatasia, it’s locked away somehow, waiting to be unearthed as well, but a part of us fears what happens when it is unearthed. Because inside we already know that whatever it is will be ugly and painful for Anatasia, the story of what she has endured, and no one would want her to remember. However, we’re already able to see that Anatasia is an image of strength without knowing her story yet, and she’s willing to sacrifice herself to keep others safe.
And she gives that same strength to others. Even to wayward princes like Prince Ivan, and he finally grabs hold of it:
“When I do marry, it will be to a fae who not only loves me for who I am, but who also inspires and pushes me to be better than I am. It will not be to someone who sees me merely as a stepping stone to a greater power. I am a servant of the Court, but I will not be a tool.”
It’s an impassioned proclamation by the crowned prince who at long last finds his way because of his phoenix that refused to have her fire extinguished. Prince Ivan has discovered that something or more importantly, someone is worth fighting to save.
January 3, 2024
I started this book out really not enjoying the main male lead. Thankfully I pushed through because it was a delightful little book, as are all of the Seasons of Music and Magic books. I enjoy their stories and the unique way magic exists. I also love the fact that they are not super lengthy. While a good book is always sad to have end, I do need to sleep so it’s wonderful to pick up a book and know it can’t keep me up all night.
While time and plot are contributing factors to enjoying a book, so are characters. There were so many great characters in this story, including the prince who made me so mad in the beginning. I also loved getting to see the entrance of the Phoenix into this world.
Violence-wise: there is some fighting. Here is the trigger warning listed in the book description for some other items: “This book contains mention of both emotional abuse and manipulative behaviors.”
Romance: Clean
While time and plot are contributing factors to enjoying a book, so are characters. There were so many great characters in this story, including the prince who made me so mad in the beginning. I also loved getting to see the entrance of the Phoenix into this world.
Violence-wise: there is some fighting. Here is the trigger warning listed in the book description for some other items: “This book contains mention of both emotional abuse and manipulative behaviors.”
Romance: Clean
April 13, 2025
Fall of the forgotten Phoenix
I loved this story. Ivan was very frustrating at first with his avoidance of conflict at all cost, including being unable to say no to a conniving noble born lady intent on marrying him. Ana was a Phoenix somehow under the control of an evil wizard. I loved how they brought out the best of each other.
I loved this story. Ivan was very frustrating at first with his avoidance of conflict at all cost, including being unable to say no to a conniving noble born lady intent on marrying him. Ana was a Phoenix somehow under the control of an evil wizard. I loved how they brought out the best of each other.
November 6, 2025
A fun, cozy retelling perfect for autumn! Beran wove in just enough of the original story to feel like a good adaptation, but added plenty of fresh ideas all her own. The music based magic was so cool! I also particularly liked how both Ivan and Ana felt like well rounded characters with clear strengths and weaknesses, who helped give each other what the other was lacking.
January 7, 2024
I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I am looking forward to reading the next book in this really wonderful series!
February 3, 2024
Good book!
This is a creative story, and I enjoyed reading it! I am looking forward to reading the next book soon.
This is a creative story, and I enjoyed reading it! I am looking forward to reading the next book soon.
August 21, 2024
Yes yes yes
This is the first time i've ever read this author and she is amazing! She creates passion that is clean and a storyline that is compelling!
This is the first time i've ever read this author and she is amazing! She creates passion that is clean and a storyline that is compelling!
November 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this story.
Content: clean
Content: clean
April 3, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Great just not quite as good as the first two
Great just not quite as good as the first two
June 26, 2025
Ahhhhhh this was so good! This story is charming, witty, emotional, and heart wrenching. I loved it so much!
August 30, 2025
I was very invested in this retelling. It is darker than Sarah Beran’s other books and it would be wise to read the trigger warning but it is a beautiful story of healing from trauma, speaking up against bullies, and falling in love. The audiobook is fantastic and I was delighted to see a cameo of the series famous bird catcher and dragon charmer. :)
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