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Trials of Sacrifice
Addiction. Greed. Twisted family secrets.
Despite Jackie’s attempts to end Life Rite’s genetic engineering, the serum has gone underground. If immortality falls into enemy hands, Alpha’s deadly Redistribution Program will trigger global genocide.
Jackie must survive the prestigious Hampshire Academy, breeding ground for the elite’s darkest sins and secrets. But no matter what she does, there will be blood on her hands.
She’ll face the biggest trial of all; either she sacrifice her family or millions of Climbers will die.
Perfect for fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and The Host, The Phoenix Gene: Trials of Sacrifice is the second book in the gripping YA dystopian sci-fi series with high-stakes rebellion, dangerous love, and a multiverse you won’t want to leave.
Despite Jackie’s attempts to end Life Rite’s genetic engineering, the serum has gone underground. If immortality falls into enemy hands, Alpha’s deadly Redistribution Program will trigger global genocide.
Jackie must survive the prestigious Hampshire Academy, breeding ground for the elite’s darkest sins and secrets. But no matter what she does, there will be blood on her hands.
She’ll face the biggest trial of all; either she sacrifice her family or millions of Climbers will die.
Perfect for fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and The Host, The Phoenix Gene: Trials of Sacrifice is the second book in the gripping YA dystopian sci-fi series with high-stakes rebellion, dangerous love, and a multiverse you won’t want to leave.
305 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2026
About the author
J.P. Cawood
7 books167 followersJP Cawood is a Hollywood-based author who also works in TV, comic books, and video games. Between binge watching dystopian sci-fi shows like Last of Us, Dark Matter, Silo, and Severance, and reading articles about the universe, she mixes in some guilty-pleasure reality TV. She loves dreaming up captivating stories with strong female protagonists in apocalyptic worlds.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 11, 2026
I was excited to read the next adventure of Jackie in the Slipstream. It has been a little over a month since I read the first one, but it came back to me fairly quickly. I was definitely glad to have read the first one to get more thorough understanding of the Slipstream and Bennu formulas. I thought the action scenes in this one were good and exciting, I just found some of the in between to be not quite as enticing.
I really struggled with Grace’s character. Whilst I understand Jackie went into a Slipstream to meet a younger version of Grace, her reactions and attitudes felt a bit childish, perhaps to appeal to a younger audience than the first one. She kind of annoyed me about Feraz (which I’m sure was purposeful as this is what Jackie felt). Grace did have an arc though, but I didn’t feel as much of a connection to it as I did with Jackie in the first book. Beatrice definitely didn’t play as big of a role in this one as she did in the first one. Sometimes the differing POV threw me off a bit as well. It also took me a minute to understand the disconnection between Zayne and Firestorm’s shadow. I definitely still want to keep reading to see what is going to happen next, but this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. A big thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really struggled with Grace’s character. Whilst I understand Jackie went into a Slipstream to meet a younger version of Grace, her reactions and attitudes felt a bit childish, perhaps to appeal to a younger audience than the first one. She kind of annoyed me about Feraz (which I’m sure was purposeful as this is what Jackie felt). Grace did have an arc though, but I didn’t feel as much of a connection to it as I did with Jackie in the first book. Beatrice definitely didn’t play as big of a role in this one as she did in the first one. Sometimes the differing POV threw me off a bit as well. It also took me a minute to understand the disconnection between Zayne and Firestorm’s shadow. I definitely still want to keep reading to see what is going to happen next, but this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. A big thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2026
A very good story with an amazing world building and strong characters!
This 2nd book continues where the first one ended and takes us even deeper into the story!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This 2nd book continues where the first one ended and takes us even deeper into the story!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 10, 2026
In a sci-fi landscape overflowing with sequels, it's hard to find a story that not only gives a fresh view but also develops into deeper questions.
Trials of Sacrifice, the second book in JP Cawood's The Phoenix Gene series, does exactly that.
At the heart of it all is Jackie, a young woman whose "Phoenix Gene" makes her extraordinary: she is the one who can navigate the Slipstream, a strange, ethereal space where infinite timelines touch. Alongside her grandmother Beatrice and her father, she is on a mission to heal "infected" realities worlds warped by a relentless figure known as Alpha. This time, the task feels trickly simple: enter a timeline where Jackie was never born and where history took a darker, more fragile turn. What follows is a story that grapples with questions of identity, choice, and the crushing weight of responsibility.
This alternate reality stems from a single choice: Beatrice's refusal, years ago, to take a serum of immortality. That one "no" set off a chain reaction, erasing any chance of Jackie's parents to ever meet each other. Consequently, Jackie herself never existed.
To stop Alpha from carrying out a genocidal plan that would annihilate billions of lives, Jackie must infiltrate the Hampshire Academy as a 17-year-old student, navigating a world that feels familiar but is not her own.
What makes this book resonate is the way Cawood explores the revelatory experience of discovering yourself through time and experience. The mission isn't just about defeating a villain; it's about mending a broken probability. And the novel makes you feel that some repairs demand more than just courage they demand pieces of yourself you never knew you could offer.
At the emotional core of the conflict is Grace Claudi (Jackie's mother) who, in this timeline, is a lonely, privileged student trapped in a toxic relationship with Feraz. He is arrogant and dismissive, and treats anyone considered by him "inferior" less than garbage. Worse still: Feraz has been secretly producing a cheap version of the immortality serum, and its side effects are cruel. Every time he uses it to regenerate, Grace ages prematurely; her vitality is drained so he can remain intact.
It is a story of toxic love that darkly mirrors real-world exploitation disguised as devotion. Cawood does not shy away from this cruel reality; witnessing Grace slowly realizing the horror of her own life is painful and painfully close to our own reality. Her desperate need to believe in a "happily ever after" becomes a portrait of how love or belief can blind us even to the harshest truths.
The situation reaches a breaking point when Feraz senses something strange about Jackie and tries to kill her. This brush with death only strengthens her resolve to complete the mission. This is the "trial of sacrifice": a moment that demands an act of destruction to prevent an even greater annihilation. The moral ambiguity is not glossed over, and the narrative refuses to offer easy answers, presenting unsettling consequences that do not simply disappear.
At its core, this is a book about facing your deepest fears and accepting that some losses are irreversible. And the scars left behind? They remain, and we must learn to live with them. Cawood's narrative is concise and direct, prioritizing dialogue and action over lengthy exposition. Though she slows the pace just enough to let the tension breathe before the climax.
The characters are rendered so vividly that you feel as if you already know them. Despite the fantastical elements, certain situations feel uncomfortably real, strengthening the reader's connection to the characters. The way the multiverse and its various situations interact adds layers of suspense, making each twist land with impact.
Trials of Sacrifice rewards readers not just with excitement, but with genuine reflections about life. It is a story about love, loss, and the impossible choices we make for the people we desperately want to save. This is a series that grows bolder and it will leave you eager for what comes next.
Trials of Sacrifice, the second book in JP Cawood's The Phoenix Gene series, does exactly that.
At the heart of it all is Jackie, a young woman whose "Phoenix Gene" makes her extraordinary: she is the one who can navigate the Slipstream, a strange, ethereal space where infinite timelines touch. Alongside her grandmother Beatrice and her father, she is on a mission to heal "infected" realities worlds warped by a relentless figure known as Alpha. This time, the task feels trickly simple: enter a timeline where Jackie was never born and where history took a darker, more fragile turn. What follows is a story that grapples with questions of identity, choice, and the crushing weight of responsibility.
This alternate reality stems from a single choice: Beatrice's refusal, years ago, to take a serum of immortality. That one "no" set off a chain reaction, erasing any chance of Jackie's parents to ever meet each other. Consequently, Jackie herself never existed.
To stop Alpha from carrying out a genocidal plan that would annihilate billions of lives, Jackie must infiltrate the Hampshire Academy as a 17-year-old student, navigating a world that feels familiar but is not her own.
What makes this book resonate is the way Cawood explores the revelatory experience of discovering yourself through time and experience. The mission isn't just about defeating a villain; it's about mending a broken probability. And the novel makes you feel that some repairs demand more than just courage they demand pieces of yourself you never knew you could offer.
At the emotional core of the conflict is Grace Claudi (Jackie's mother) who, in this timeline, is a lonely, privileged student trapped in a toxic relationship with Feraz. He is arrogant and dismissive, and treats anyone considered by him "inferior" less than garbage. Worse still: Feraz has been secretly producing a cheap version of the immortality serum, and its side effects are cruel. Every time he uses it to regenerate, Grace ages prematurely; her vitality is drained so he can remain intact.
It is a story of toxic love that darkly mirrors real-world exploitation disguised as devotion. Cawood does not shy away from this cruel reality; witnessing Grace slowly realizing the horror of her own life is painful and painfully close to our own reality. Her desperate need to believe in a "happily ever after" becomes a portrait of how love or belief can blind us even to the harshest truths.
The situation reaches a breaking point when Feraz senses something strange about Jackie and tries to kill her. This brush with death only strengthens her resolve to complete the mission. This is the "trial of sacrifice": a moment that demands an act of destruction to prevent an even greater annihilation. The moral ambiguity is not glossed over, and the narrative refuses to offer easy answers, presenting unsettling consequences that do not simply disappear.
At its core, this is a book about facing your deepest fears and accepting that some losses are irreversible. And the scars left behind? They remain, and we must learn to live with them. Cawood's narrative is concise and direct, prioritizing dialogue and action over lengthy exposition. Though she slows the pace just enough to let the tension breathe before the climax.
The characters are rendered so vividly that you feel as if you already know them. Despite the fantastical elements, certain situations feel uncomfortably real, strengthening the reader's connection to the characters. The way the multiverse and its various situations interact adds layers of suspense, making each twist land with impact.
Trials of Sacrifice rewards readers not just with excitement, but with genuine reflections about life. It is a story about love, loss, and the impossible choices we make for the people we desperately want to save. This is a series that grows bolder and it will leave you eager for what comes next.
September 10, 2026
Part two of the Phoenix Gene series and at this point I'm going to have to bow out.
This book isn't much different in reader experience that part one except the author appears to have decided to make some of the most annoying characters that you could ever encounter.
There's the very obvious abusive boyfriend asshole but equally annoying is his girlfriend Grace who in this reality is a spoilt bratty rich girl. She has her plus points in the way she's rather generous with Jackie but every time she speaks she's just too annoyingly vacuous for my vocabulary to sufficiently define. Even after being given a full demonstration of the Slipstream and the Phoenix powers she remained stubbornly disbelieving and blathers on about her upcoming proposal to her piece of shit boyfriend that's slowly killing her.
She was so irritating that I started a new book just to give myself a break from her.
I also felt like the pacing of this book slowed quite a bit before the final act.
I wanted to enjoy this series but the unlikeable characters along with some cheesy dialogue means I won't be picking up book 3.
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒗𝒊𝒂 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆.
This book isn't much different in reader experience that part one except the author appears to have decided to make some of the most annoying characters that you could ever encounter.
There's the very obvious abusive boyfriend asshole but equally annoying is his girlfriend Grace who in this reality is a spoilt bratty rich girl. She has her plus points in the way she's rather generous with Jackie but every time she speaks she's just too annoyingly vacuous for my vocabulary to sufficiently define. Even after being given a full demonstration of the Slipstream and the Phoenix powers she remained stubbornly disbelieving and blathers on about her upcoming proposal to her piece of shit boyfriend that's slowly killing her.
She was so irritating that I started a new book just to give myself a break from her.
I also felt like the pacing of this book slowed quite a bit before the final act.
I wanted to enjoy this series but the unlikeable characters along with some cheesy dialogue means I won't be picking up book 3.
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒗𝒊𝒂 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆.
September 11, 2026
Trials of Sacrifice, the second book in The Phoenix Gene series, renewed my appreciation for fresh and imaginative storytelling. While the first book introduces readers to the fascinating concept of the Slipstream, this sequel expands on the compelling relationship between Firestorm and Jackie, a father and daughter navigating time travel in an effort to correct the mistakes of her grandparents.
Combining time travel, suspense, and emotional depth, the story delivers an engaging and memorable reading experience. The plot is strong, the pacing keeps the pages turning, and the character development is excellent throughout. J.P. Cawood proves once again that he is a master storyteller, I simply couldn't put this book down.
The only difficult part is waiting for the next installment in the series.
For anyone considering reading Trials of Sacrifice, I highly recommend starting with the first book, Origins of Darkness. Having that foundation will provide valuable context and make the experience even more exciting and rewarding.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Combining time travel, suspense, and emotional depth, the story delivers an engaging and memorable reading experience. The plot is strong, the pacing keeps the pages turning, and the character development is excellent throughout. J.P. Cawood proves once again that he is a master storyteller, I simply couldn't put this book down.
The only difficult part is waiting for the next installment in the series.
For anyone considering reading Trials of Sacrifice, I highly recommend starting with the first book, Origins of Darkness. Having that foundation will provide valuable context and make the experience even more exciting and rewarding.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 13, 2026
Trials of Sacrifice is a stunning second act that expands the world of The Phoenix Gene series with breathtaking ambition. Picking up the threads of choices, sacrifices, and alternate destinies established in the first book, this installment plunges deeper into the shimmering multiverse of the Slipstream, where every decision fractures into new timelines and every reunion carries the weight of everything that came before. Returning readers will be thrilled by the increased depth of the mythology; Jackie’s evolving bond with Beatrice and Firestorm Gaines provides real emotional resonance, while Mark emerges as one of the most compelling and heartbreaking figures in the series to date. The stakes feel higher, the world-building more layered, and the emotional payoffs more earned, precisely because of the groundwork laid previously. What impresses me most is the author's confidence in balancing epic sci-fi spectacle—from volcanic landscapes and genetic experiments to complex dimensional leaps—with intimate, poignant meditations on love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 10, 2026
This review is brought to you by my 11 year old daughter as an ARC reader. She genuinely loved this book and the first. Watching her facial expressions and hearing the noises she made when she would get to a good part was awesome. She keeps talking about how much she loves it!
❤️ Reading this book was like entering another dimension, or the Slipstream. ;) I loved your focus on detail, and your creativity! Hence my calculations, 🤓☝🏻the most probable future for this book is worldwide travel. 🫶🏼 I don’t see how someone could NOT absolutely love this book. I do have to say that Firestorm was my favorite, being Jackie’s sidekick and well…that’s a spoiler so I won’t say, but you know what I’m talking about if you’ve read the book. I am still really amazed on how you even came up with this; creating a whole world-sorry, UNIVERSE; and a most probable future for this book. WORLDWIDE DOMINATION. Oh, ‘scuze me, that was my inner Farez talking.🥲.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
❤️ Reading this book was like entering another dimension, or the Slipstream. ;) I loved your focus on detail, and your creativity! Hence my calculations, 🤓☝🏻the most probable future for this book is worldwide travel. 🫶🏼 I don’t see how someone could NOT absolutely love this book. I do have to say that Firestorm was my favorite, being Jackie’s sidekick and well…that’s a spoiler so I won’t say, but you know what I’m talking about if you’ve read the book. I am still really amazed on how you even came up with this; creating a whole world-sorry, UNIVERSE; and a most probable future for this book. WORLDWIDE DOMINATION. Oh, ‘scuze me, that was my inner Farez talking.🥲.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
Trials of Sacrifice had a strong premise and an important story to carry the series forward. I really enjoyed the first book, so I went into this one excited to see where the story would go, and the overall plot still had plenty of potential.
Unfortunately, the execution fell a little flat for me. Much of the book felt repetitive, and the same ideas and conflicts seemed to come up again and again without adding much new momentum. As the story went on, the characters also began to wear on me to the point that I stopped feeling especially invested in whether they survived by the end.
There is still a genuinely good story here, and I can appreciate the direction J.P. Cawood was taking the series. I just think the book would have benefited from another round of editing to trim the redundancy and strengthen the pacing. Readers who enjoyed the first installment may still want to continue, but this one did not fully live up to the promise of its premise for me.
Unfortunately, the execution fell a little flat for me. Much of the book felt repetitive, and the same ideas and conflicts seemed to come up again and again without adding much new momentum. As the story went on, the characters also began to wear on me to the point that I stopped feeling especially invested in whether they survived by the end.
There is still a genuinely good story here, and I can appreciate the direction J.P. Cawood was taking the series. I just think the book would have benefited from another round of editing to trim the redundancy and strengthen the pacing. Readers who enjoyed the first installment may still want to continue, but this one did not fully live up to the promise of its premise for me.
September 6, 2026
I did enjoy this - but not quite as much as the first book. I don't know how to explain it, but it just felt like something was missing this time around. The descriptions are very vivid, and it feels like you can see everything unfolding before you. While nothing is overly gory, it's definitely descriptive. For the most part the pacing is decent, but not as even as it was in the first book. I really enjoyed watching everyone navigate a new reality (a different timeline). Jackie has grown so much since book one, and the stakes are higher than ever between Life Rite going underground and Alpha corrupting the slipstream. The plot itself is compelling, and I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover, although it was less...addictive, I guess you could say? Than book one was.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed the first book and was interested to continue Jackie's story. While I thought the premise had a lot of potential and was genuinely intriguing, it unfortunately fell a bit flat. In particular, the pacing wasn't as strong as the first book for me, and I felt the story lacked momentum by revisiting the same ideas repeatedly, without offering something new. I didn't feel as connected to the characters, which lessened my investment. With a tighter pacing, and less repetition, the book would have engaged me more fully. Nevertheless, the core of the story is strong, it's just the execution that could be enhanced in parts.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 29, 2026
Jackie's Mission . . .
Jackie is on a mission to eradicate Alpha from every timeline. She has already saved one timeline from global genocide from a killer drone, but could that be done over and over throughout every timeline before she is thoroughly exhausted? And if she can't succeed, Alpha’s deadly Redistribution Program will trigger global genocide. The Slipstream’s secrets are hard to master and she is beginning to worry as her brain warns her that billions of lives are at risk and every probability matters. So which stream should she focus on now?
I found it difficult to get into Book 2. I felt sympathy toward Jackie as I did sense her frustration, exhaustion, and determination. But it just didn't come together for me this time.
Jackie is on a mission to eradicate Alpha from every timeline. She has already saved one timeline from global genocide from a killer drone, but could that be done over and over throughout every timeline before she is thoroughly exhausted? And if she can't succeed, Alpha’s deadly Redistribution Program will trigger global genocide. The Slipstream’s secrets are hard to master and she is beginning to worry as her brain warns her that billions of lives are at risk and every probability matters. So which stream should she focus on now?
I found it difficult to get into Book 2. I felt sympathy toward Jackie as I did sense her frustration, exhaustion, and determination. But it just didn't come together for me this time.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you've read the first book, you would kind of know what to expect here. Dystopian YA, evil AI, and phoenixes. There is a lot more time traveling in this one, with frequent talk of multiple universes. Some of it was a little confusing, but not enough to ruin the story. I also liked how Grace was more fleshed out as a character, and the antagonist was properly detestable. Some of the pacing felt off, and I did feel like the story could have been tighter. All in all, I had a good time with the second in this series. I received a free copy via BookSprout. This is my honest and voluntary review.
September 11, 2026
This was the next book in the series and it did not disappoint. When I first started this series I wasn’t to sure if I was going to enjoy it or not, but I did. I haven’t read a book with this sort of plot before but I found that I could not put this book down.
The characters all brought something different to the book and no two characters were the same and I really enjoy the character growth throughout this series it was done in such a fantastic way. The world building in this book made you feel like you were really part of the story.
I look forward to seeing what’s to come next for this author.
The characters all brought something different to the book and no two characters were the same and I really enjoy the character growth throughout this series it was done in such a fantastic way. The world building in this book made you feel like you were really part of the story.
I look forward to seeing what’s to come next for this author.
October 24, 2026
I wanted to love this as much as the first book, but something just wasn't clicking for me this time. The alternate timeline, the higher stakes, and the Slipstream corruption were all interesting, but the pacing felt uneven, and certain parts dragged on longer than they needed to.
Jackie's growth was one of my favourite things, but some of the character dynamics frustrated me, and I wasn't as emotionally invested as I wanted to be. The story definitely has potential, and I still enjoyed parts of it, but it didn't quite give me the same excitement as book one.
I received an advance reader copy from the author. This is my honest review.
Jackie's growth was one of my favourite things, but some of the character dynamics frustrated me, and I wasn't as emotionally invested as I wanted to be. The story definitely has potential, and I still enjoyed parts of it, but it didn't quite give me the same excitement as book one.
I received an advance reader copy from the author. This is my honest review.
September 19, 2026
This book was interesting. It has magic, mutants and evil robots. While the main characters are the same there were characters from the first book but in a different light. The main characters are literally trying to save the world, no prophecy or chosen ones they just feel it’s the right thing to do. That in and of itself is somehow refreshing. The characters are teenagers and it shows in their behavior and actions.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Jackie survived Alpha and was reunited with her father and grandmother. Now, she must face the roots of evil—greed, addiction, and harsh truths most prefer to ignore. Sometimes, the person we love the most can do the greatest harm. Have you ever wondered how you'd persuade a stranger to help save the world? Now imagine that stranger is battling addiction.
What are you willing to sacrifice for humanity's future? This gripping dystopian sci-fi fantasy will pull you in and keep you hooked.
What are you willing to sacrifice for humanity's future? This gripping dystopian sci-fi fantasy will pull you in and keep you hooked.
August 30, 2026
Great second book in this series. Just as great as the first book in this series. This series just keeps getting better. Jackie, Firestorm and Beatrice continue to fight in many timelines trying to defeat Alpha. This time Jackie meets her teenage mother, Grace and her controlling boyfriend Feraz. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series called Culling of Tomorrow.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 26, 2026
Book two picks up from where we left off as we jump deeper down the rabbit hole where the stakes are higher and the world building continues to enthral. Although not as gripping or captivating as the first book, this does draw you in as we follow Firestorm and Jackie, a father and daughter navigating time travel in an effort to correct the mistakes of her grandparents. Suspenseful, intriguing and time travel, this is well paced and reads well from start to finish.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of Advanced Reader Copy
I love, love, love the concept and ideas behind these books! The first book did a great job of really sucking the reader in with the world building and idea of the book. The second book built on that, but unfortunately it wasn't as easy to get into. The storyline felt very repetitive and the characters were not as easy to care about.
I love, love, love the concept and ideas behind these books! The first book did a great job of really sucking the reader in with the world building and idea of the book. The second book built on that, but unfortunately it wasn't as easy to get into. The storyline felt very repetitive and the characters were not as easy to care about.
September 9, 2026
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trying to eradicate the mutant drone from the slipstream, star crossed lovers must come to terms with never completely having a full life together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trying to eradicate the mutant drone from the slipstream, star crossed lovers must come to terms with never completely having a full life together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 9, 2026
✨ARC REVIEW✨
this is book 2 of the phoenix gene series.
in this book there’s never a dull moment as the fmc travels time and tries to figure out what’s real. all while trying to uncover parts of the human mind.
the world building in this series is so impressive and stunning. social classes separated and fractured universes. there’s the devious elite and the poor holding secrets.
this is book 2 of the phoenix gene series.
in this book there’s never a dull moment as the fmc travels time and tries to figure out what’s real. all while trying to uncover parts of the human mind.
the world building in this series is so impressive and stunning. social classes separated and fractured universes. there’s the devious elite and the poor holding secrets.
September 10, 2026
This book picks up where book 1 left off. Jackie is determined to destroy the serum but someone takes everything related to it and goes to ground. If it falls into the wrong hands global genocide would be the result. Through all this Jackie has to continue to play the game that life has thrown her. Will she do what best for humanity or finally fold into her family's history.
October 17, 2026
Picking up right where the prior story left off, I was immediately drawn back in with anticipation, and I wasn't disappointed. Amazing characters and compelling twists and turns kept me up late, eager to see what happened next. I'm so excited to see what happens in book 3!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 29, 2026
The second book continued the world building, introduced characters who test your patience, and went further into the overarching plot.
It was a good read.
I received an advanced copy from the author.
It was a good read.
I received an advanced copy from the author.
September 30, 2026
this is second book from this author i read. and that one is more interesting for me. Now i am able to understand. Great read.
October 4, 2026
Jackie continues to try and heal the slipstreams. This book seems to repeat much of the same scenarios as book 1. I hope in book 3 Cawood changes things up a bit.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed this story. I like the concept of going and fixing past mistakes and learning about your parents especially since the FMC did not know them. There were some slow moments in the story, but it is still worth the read.
September 17, 2026
While it did leave off right where the last story ended, this one didn't feel as good as the first one. I was constantly asking myself what was the point of saving this specific timeline. Not only that, but if the slipstream is endless, then they will be doing this forever. Across all timelines, especially since the slipstreams are endless seemingly.
Grace's character in this timeline was extremely frustrating, her fickle relationship with Jackie was borderline unbearable at times. While it was realistic with her life being a flyer, the switch up was not. How would she be completely fine with Jackie one minute and slap her, then talk about her nails right after, like nothing even happened. She did end up redeeming herself in the end, though. It just took so much to convince her that everything Jackie was saying was true.
Feraz was also a awful character in this story as well, not that he was decent in the first story either. He was downright awful in this one though, toxic, manipulative and selfish. The way he treated Grace was so awful. Grace just desperately wanted the love that her father and mother had.
Overall it wasn't as good as the first book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Grace's character in this timeline was extremely frustrating, her fickle relationship with Jackie was borderline unbearable at times. While it was realistic with her life being a flyer, the switch up was not. How would she be completely fine with Jackie one minute and slap her, then talk about her nails right after, like nothing even happened. She did end up redeeming herself in the end, though. It just took so much to convince her that everything Jackie was saying was true.
Feraz was also a awful character in this story as well, not that he was decent in the first story either. He was downright awful in this one though, toxic, manipulative and selfish. The way he treated Grace was so awful. Grace just desperately wanted the love that her father and mother had.
Overall it wasn't as good as the first book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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