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Nix #1

Fury of a Phoenix

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I knew the sins of my past would call to collect what was left of my soul. If I'd known the price I'd pay, I would've sacrificed more to stay hidden from the magic.

In the middle of Wyoming--away from the abnormals of the world--I thought I was free and clear. I started a new life. Found a love I'd never known in a husband, and a son who was my everything.

And in a blinding instant, that life was stolen from me.

The rage of a grieving mother is an ugly beast. More so when she has the skills and killer instinct to back up the wrath and the knowledge that an accident was anything but.

Once more, I will pick up my guns. This time to hunt those who took my husband's and son's lives.

Let them see the assassin, trained to kill abnormals, stalk the shadows again.

Let them see the Phoenix rise from the fragments of a broken life as she burns with a fury that cannot be contained.

Let the killing games begin.

328 pages, ebook

First published July 11, 2017

4168 people are currently reading
3438 people want to read

About the author

Shannon Mayer

153 books7,291 followers
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I was born into a family of Star Wars nuts. I have a lot of siblings (somewhere I lost count but I think there was more than could be numbered on one hand) and being one of the young padawans I was subjected to Star Wars marathons, on a regular basis. If you've read any of my books you'll see there is often a reference to said movies as a small homage to my upbringing. May the force be with you and all that jazz.

I started writing when I realized I didn't want to grow up not believing in magic, or not believing in creatures everyone else said didn't exist. That being said, I have never seen a fairy, unicorn or dragon. I had a neighbour who swore they fed the leprechauns in their garden, but I never caught the little buggers no matter how long I lay in wait. (And consequently had to help the neighbours plant new flowers to replace those I killed waiting for the leprechauns to show their faces.)

Along the way, I found my husband who is the rock that keeps me from floating away into my dreams, and we have a little boy who is the centre of our world. Living on a farm keeps us busy (as if the writing wasn't enough) and I have more than my share of stories about wrestling with cows, helping birth calves and ending up in the creek during the process, falling in the mud (we'll call it mud but we all know that on a farm, mud is rarely mud) and chasing escaped livestock in the hopes the four legged convicts don't make it to the highway.

I've taken up archery, and the goal is to move into horseback archery in time (you know, when I can hit the target on a consistent basis) and when no one is looking, I love to bake (this doesn't happen often as it's hard to keep the sweet treats in stock with two boys in the house.)

As to what's coming next for me? More stories (since those never stop inside my head, I might as well share them with all of you!) and more adventures. Pretty much, when the fancy strikes, I'll jump on it. Leap before you look I'm sure that motto was created for me.

Or was that . . . think big and dream bigger, ready, set, pull the trigger . . . yeah. That one is a good one too. But only if you have a gun. And are hunting elephants. Which is not cool because of so many reasons. Let's stick with the first one with an addendum.

Leap before you look and let your dreams carry you on their wings. And that, my friends, is me in a nutshell.

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5 stars
4,010 (52%)
4 stars
2,340 (30%)
3 stars
936 (12%)
2 stars
219 (2%)
1 star
124 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 491 reviews
Profile Image for Al *the semi serial series skipper*.
1,659 reviews857 followers
September 23, 2020
This is a book that was trying too hard.

Nix, a retired hitwoman for her family's mob, is getting back into the business after her son and husband are killed. She follows the threads and sees that her family somehow has a hand in their death and vows to take them down.

Great premise right there but it descended into oblivion. Nix was almost wanton in her killings, I couldn't connect to her despite the obviously sad hand she had been dealt. There was no rhyme or reason with how she went about her investigations. The killings felt gratuitous and didn't seem inherent to the plot.

Secondly, this world is a place where humans and magical beings cohabitate yet Phoenix is this boogeywoman that has no special power except that she can shoot really fast. Eh, I don't think so.

It is sad because this would have been a great series for me to sink my teeth into but I just kept waiting for it to end.

PS. I hate when German Shepard dogs are given command in German, why not English. It's not like the book is set in Germany, it's odd that the dog was a family dog for her son and all of a sudden its this German obeying dog. How did her son communicate with it then. Maybe I'm over reacting. I rolled my eyes every time she gave it a command though.
Profile Image for Carmel (Rabid Reads).
706 reviews392 followers
July 8, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.

Shannon Mayer has a whole new bag of tricks with NIX, her latest Urban Fantasy series! The heroine is a human living in an abnormal world where props talk, and more importantly—her enemies have forgotten that revenge is a dish best served cold. I’m so happy that this author finally branched out from her RYLEE ADAMSON / ELEMENTAL conglomeration, and took a risk on this new venture because it totally paid off.

It’s clear from the blurb that the protagonist’s son dies, but I kinda expected that to have already happened, and for the story to start with Phoenix on the warpath. Instead, readers get to experience that agonizing moment of loss right alongside the lead character, and the crippling grief that follows. I just wanted to give you fair warning because I wish Mayer had done me the same courtesy. It was a rocky takeoff.

The gut wrenching opening did come with certain advantages though in that we get to witness Nix’s about-face from her domestic role to that of the assassin she once was. I enjoyed this approach because it allowed the author to slowly build-up the heroine while also piling on a bit of world-building which in turn gently eased fans into the fictional universe instead of opting for the info dump commonly found in book 1’s.

The plot took a more circuitous route than what I’d anticipated with various secondaries coming and going along the way. I liked how difficult it was to label any of them either ally or foe, especially the protagonist’s husband, Justin. My feelings on Dinah & Eleanor are still up in the air, and with the addition of Linx, it could go either way at this point depending on how Mayer decides to use them in future installments.

FURY OF A PHOENIX soared from the ashes in its debut. ~3.5 Stars
Profile Image for Suz.
2,293 reviews74 followers
August 15, 2017
2.5 stars.

I was going to 2 star this as being just meh, but it picked up a bit in terms of action at the end. It was obviously just a set-up book, however, and at no point in the entirety of the book did I ever connect with or care about the MC. That's notable when you consider that the book opens with a grievous loss that should justify all the revenge porn, which is pretty much all the story is. It should, but it doesn't.

I found the story, the MC, and the world to be fairly weak and uninteresting; and I struggled to stick with it until the end.
1,160 reviews18 followers
March 7, 2023
Thrilling first book.

This author never fails to deliver a great read. This is the first in New series an urban fantasy, I have to be honest I thought the heroine was going to be a real phienix, she's nit, she's human, but her father, also a human he a little extra as he made a deal.with the Devil. Leon Romano brought up his children to work in the family business sort of like the mafia only with supernatural involvement. Phoenix was his enforcer/executioner. Over the years ago she left............taking a great deal of her father's money with her............. Nix met a man and fell in love married and had a son, she never relaxed her vigilance always expecting her father to.find her one day. But she could never have predicted what would happen one Christmas, her husband Jason and her son Bear are murdered and His herself barely survives. She automatically thinks it her father but why leave her alive and not try to reclaim his money something doesn't make sense but one things for sure Nix is going to reign hell down on anyone and everyone who had anything to do with the murder of her boys...............and she will enjoy doing it...............
Profile Image for Dr. Andy.
2,537 reviews265 followers
October 31, 2020
3.5/5

This was the first book I received from the book box Caffeine & Legends! Sold as a female John Wick MC, I couldn't agree more. Phoenix Romano did all she could to cut ties with her mafia/deal with a devil father, including stealing millions of his money and pretending to be her dead sister. But when her world is shattered by murder, Nix won't stop at anything to find out who killed her husband and son and why. Then she'll make them pay.

John Wick is the perfect description for this. It basically sums up this book: Death, then lots of murder and a little bit of stealth. Nix is very much shoot first and ask questions later. Especially with the help of her magical talking guns. God I could not get over that at first, but now it just makes me laugh. It was so out of left field.

Fury of a Phoenix was a good first in the series. I'm curious to see what Nix will do next. I hope part of the answer is therapy and finding a friend who's not gun happy and also a female. Nix had zero female friends, granted she doesn't really have any friends besides Zee. But if we exclude the two guns, I don't know if this book passes the Bechdel test. So like concerning.

Anyway this was a fun novel that was quite dark. I'll probably need to read several happy and light contemporaries before I'm ready for the next book.
Profile Image for Holly.
1,536 reviews1,619 followers
November 30, 2017
This book is missing....something. It has a good premise - a wife/mother with a secret past as an assassin returns to the underworld to seek vengeance. It has a lot of action - she kills/maims more than a dozen people, stuff gets blown up and burned down. It has mystery - who put out the hit on her family and who did she really know the truth about? But the one thing that is really missing is ANY EMOTIONAL CONNECTION. I felt numb/indifferent/bored while reading this. The expected emotional grief in this story is conveniently written away under the guise of her 'pushing it down' so she can successfully get revenge. None of the secondary characters felt real. Another problem I had was the two magical guns she has that have names and can talk. It was just too weird for me. I'll pass on reading the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Jessica Frances.
Author 29 books404 followers
May 13, 2018
Wow! This book was heavy and incredibly dark. It either had my heart racing, or was busy breaking it. I feel stunned having finished it, and I'm not sure if I am emotionally ready for the next book, but how can I not immediately continue? Mayer did a wonderful job with building not only this world, but also Nix herself. She was imperfect, complicated and such a fantastic heroine. I loved her strength, her determination, and how smart she is. But wow, her past is so messed up. I shudder just thinking about it. I really enjoyed the secondary characters we are introduced to and look forward to seeing where this is all leading to. If you're looking for a fast moving, emotional story with lots of action, adventure, and a paranormal world setting, I wholeheartedly recommend this new series.
Profile Image for Feminista.
872 reviews1 follower
October 9, 2017
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

This novel had promise, but failed to deliver in three big aspects:

1) Phoenix, Nix, talks a good talk. You have got to give her that. But she doesn't walk it.

The entire novel is filled with bad one liners and scary threats to the bad guys which is hardly ever fulfilled.

2) She doesn't get anywhere, in this book.

3) Her reactions were all quite unnatural. As a reader, I couldn't related to her.
Profile Image for TSN ☮.
1,585 reviews28 followers
July 23, 2017
I struggled with this book. It was hard to get through since I disliked it rather much. Actually, I found it pretty horrible!

There is absolutely nothing to set this apart from the hundreds of other mediocre Urban Fantasy stories!

From the synopsis I expected one serious badass heroine. Instead, we have a girl without much depth or character. Who tried to do the talk, but fails miserable when doing the walk.
She ends up being someone who is supposed to have once been badass but sure aren't anymore. If you want a badass killer, go read Red Sister by Mark Lawrence instead.

I AM DISAPPOINTED!
Profile Image for Boundless Book Reviews.
2,242 reviews79 followers
July 12, 2017
I voluntarily received an ARC of Fury of a Phoenix in exchange for an honest review.  And for the first time, I found it hard to get through one of Shannon’s books.  Even though the story starts out tragic and the story is built so you want to be on Nix’s side I really wasn’t.  Nix never became that character that I could love, like so many others that Shannon has written.  She is a killer, without any other redeeming qualities than she loved her husband and son.   Then you add in the talking guns and this book almost got a DNF.  

I normally can finish one of Shannon’s books in a day maybe two, I struggled with this one.  The story was drawn out with too many unnecessary details, and at when Nix was struggling with her rage and trying to recover it just became excessively repetitive.  Once the story finally got moving say around 60/70% I was more engaged and it truly felt like one of Shannon’s books, with the nonstop action really picking up around 80%.   

The problem with this story is Nix isn’t likable, she doesn’t really have a personality other than a cold-blooded killer out for revenge.  That isn’t enough to make me love and care about her.  Even though I didn’t like the talking gun part of the story, her guns had more personality than she did.  

I am no longer in Shannon’s ARC group, so I doubt I will finish with this series, Nix just isn’t a character I care enough about to want to know how the story ends.  I am giving Fury of a Phoenix 2.5  Boundless Stars, this could have been so much better, but I did like it more towards the end.  

http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com

https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
Profile Image for LexiLikesLiterature.
432 reviews4 followers
June 5, 2018
Thank goodness I picked this series next. I've been burdened with a bunch of 1 and 2 star books. It was a bit depressing.

Fury of Phoenix starts off with flashbacks and I getting weary. I'm not a fan of flashbacks, but this author did it well enough that I was able to push through them.

We get to know Phoenix aka Nix who has been in hiding and living a normal life. Her family is attacked and she slides back into her old life to get revenge.

The book is done really well. Though emotional connection to the family is created early. The action scenes have enough details to make them entertaining but not so much that your bombarded with unnecessary information.

Nix is not a typical female heroine. She doesnt doubt herself or tremble in the wake of killing. She gets the job done and doesn't hold back. It's a bit refreshing. Usually we get this women who are conflicted between being a "good person" and being a kickass chick.

The author uses terms like "abnormal" to describe those of the magical community. I'm still on the fence with how I feel about her terminology. There are a few things that have been done before but I feel the author puts a fresh take on them to keep it interesting. I especially like the canine side kick and the talking weapons. The weapons give you a few good laughs. Similar to Firebrand in the Knightlord series, her guns help her kill and sometimes keep her motivated.

The narrator is Kristine Hvam. She does an excellent job as always. The only small issue is that I'm so use to hearing her voice and thinking "Jane Yellowrock". It took me a few chapters to get use to this being a different character.

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Profile Image for Melissa Crider-Nelson.
5 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2017
Okay but something is missing

I love Shannon Mayer's books and I'm not one that usually leaves a negative review however something is missing in this one. I'm not "attached" to one character in this story. The story itself started getting better around chapter 9 or 10 which is great but it's still a little flat in building up the characters. Yes we get that Phoenix is sad and pissed off but she doesn't come off as believable. From the description of her son, the way she recalls him speaking to her doesn't fit with his age or his "normal" life. Usually by the midway point in a story I can picture the characters clearly and at the end of this one it's just not there. Hopefully these things will change in the second book. I really want to be invested in the characters. I want to feel my heart was ripped out, I want to feel my blood boiling with rage, and I'd like to have a picture of the main characters so they'll come to life for me. Fingers crossed that the next book delivers.
Profile Image for Isis.
537 reviews26 followers
July 16, 2017
New Paranormal Series

This series starts off strong and just keeps building. I know I'm looking forward the the second book being released in September!
Profile Image for Joyousmoi.
412 reviews39 followers
May 11, 2020
Exciting. Action packed. Stayed up all night to finish it!!!!!
AWESOME SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Shelley.
5,606 reviews490 followers
July 14, 2021
*Source* Kindle
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0

*Thoughts*

"Hell hath no fury like a mother whose bear cub was killed in front of her eyes.”

Fury of a Phoenix is the first installment in author Shannon Mayer's Nix series. This is a series that has been sitting on my Kindle for 4 years. Enough of my procrastination. Phoenix Romano walked away from being an assassin for her father Luca Romano. She walked away with several million dollars of the Romano's money and changed her name to Bea. She found a husband, Justin Stark, and a young son, Bear, while raising and selling horses, and everything seemed to be fine while she was hiding out in Wyoming. In an instant, Nix's life is shattered when someone kills her husband and son and leaves her as the only survivor.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
Profile Image for Denisa.
1,383 reviews332 followers
September 19, 2018
Great, amazing series!

I'm writing this review after finishing the whole series, so I can't really say anything without revealing too much.
Just know that it's worth reading, especially if you're looking for a great (although too short) UF series.
Profile Image for Kismet Scott.
12 reviews2 followers
September 27, 2020
I am ridiculously in love with Phoenix. As a mom, this was an incredibly powerful story to read, and it kept me hooked the whole time. Each of the twists and turns had me yelling aloud and reacting right along with everything I was reading. If there is only one Shannon Mayer book I'm able to recommend, it's this one and this series.
204 reviews
November 25, 2017
Jack Reacher meets the wizarding world. Phoenix is bad a_ _. And it is a lot of fun for awhile, but it got stale by the end. It was one of those books I loved at the start and just couldn't wait to finish in the end.
Profile Image for Julie.
74 reviews9 followers
July 12, 2017
Fantastic!!!! I loved this book, can not wait for book 2.
242 reviews
July 19, 2017
I was surprised that I really liked this book. I was getting disillusioned about this author but she got me hooked on this book. So I will be reading on ........
Profile Image for David Johnson.
67 reviews8 followers
May 6, 2024
"I couldn't put this book down! It's an absolute masterpiece that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end."
868 reviews14 followers
June 24, 2017
There's always a little tinge of worry when a favourite author releases a new book in a brand new world, new characters, new mythology and new themes, especially when there are so many outstanding books in a brilliant series. However let me assure Shanon Mayer fans and new folks alike, this book blew my mind away! The sheer force of emotion and character that that you can almost palpably feel coming off this book is a force to be reckoned with. Nix is a character that stole my heart immediately and while she goes from thinking she knows all around her to discovering that nothing is at it seems, she faces one betrayal after another. At times gut wrenching and heart breaking, at others it takes you on a breathless non stop action journey, where Nix kicks some serious butt and grows stronger than ever. Fascinating world building, this should please anyone who likes to blend a bit of mafia into their magic! Brilliant! Another knock out hit from Shannon Mayer.
Profile Image for Mary.
520 reviews46 followers
November 14, 2021
I feel a little robbed. This book was labeled as a romance, but there was zero romance in it. I’m not even sure which guy has the potential to be a future romantic interest.

If it weren’t for that letdown that I kept waiting to develop, I might have given this 4 stars. This book really is a kick ass assassin story. I’m very curious to know where the story is going… but I’m not sure I liked the book enough to keep reading. I have a lot of other books waiting for me that sound more interesting. I’ll mark book 2 as want to read, and maybe come back to it another day.
Profile Image for Shakuita Johnson.
Author 48 books493 followers
July 6, 2017
I've been a fan of Ms. Mayer's for a few years now, ever since I picked up Priceless by chance. I have high hopes for this new series since Rylee's and Lark's journeys are over. This series started out very well... the pacing wasn't too bad and some of the characters and the plot sucked me in. I'm very optimistic about this new series I'm excited to see where it goes. I had a few hunches throughout the book about certain situation and I was spot on. The paranormal element was surprisingly fresh and something not over done in the pass. Very well done.
Profile Image for Steph.
2,161 reviews306 followers
June 30, 2020
(3.5 stars) I wanted to know more about this world ... abnormals, deal with the devil, Nix' past with family - to name a few. We got fed bits and pieces, but more, especially when establishing this world with readers, would've been greatly appreciated. Hopefully more/all will be revealed in future installments.
Profile Image for H.M..
Author 5 books23 followers
November 8, 2021
3.5 stars

I couldn’t decide whether or not to give the book 3 or 4 stars. The story was engaging for the most part, but it did annoy me periodically. The beginning annoyed me the most. The ending of this book implied that her son might still be alive. Hopefully I will find out in the next book.
Profile Image for Norma Reasor.
564 reviews
November 9, 2017
Great book, if you like a fast paced adventure, supernatural enemies (known as abnormals) and a clever, tough, female assassin, set on revenge, with a bit of blood and gore on the way. Loved this first book in the series and looking forward for more to come.
Profile Image for Crystal P.
744 reviews10 followers
April 7, 2020
Don’t Cross Nix

Man, what a ride. There is sad, but the action picks up so quickly you have to put that emotion aside. Phoenix, aptly named, rises from the ashes to seek vengeance. I am intrigued by so much and of course the ending..... things are about to get real!
Profile Image for Jim.
200 reviews3 followers
February 2, 2022
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/fury-of-a-p...

I did have some qualms over her wanting to tell the perpetrator she was coming for them; it seems like bravado, making Nix’s task needlessly more difficult. But I guess, if it’s good enough for Beatrix Kiddo, it’s good enough for any vengeful action heroine. Despite (or, probably more likely, because of) the blatant cliff-hanger, this is probably not a series I’m going to bother delving any further into. However, I can’t say I felt like I wasted the time spent reading it.
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