What do you think?
Rate this book
I’m just a girl trying to survive. Dying? Unexpected. Coming back to life? Even more so. Now these four snarky demons are haunting me. Shirtless.
It turns out you can die and live again. At least I can.
When a night out goes murderously wrong, I chose leaping to my death over getting tortured. Except it turns out I don’t die like everyone else.
I’m a phoenix — or so they tell me. Apparently I need training at the Phoenix Academy.
What I really need is to get rid of the four demons haunting me wherever I go, showing up when my heart is beating fast — whether I’m nervous, afraid, or well... other things.
But I also wouldn’t mind learning how to light things on fire with my mind or take out a man twice my size with my bare hands. All things the instructors at the academy want to teach me... if I can survive long enough.
Because there’s something deadly lurking in these halls, and it’s coming for me next.
Welcome to the first year at Phoenix Academy, a place where the paranormal lives — and dies — and lives again.
This paranormal reverse harem contains mature themes, a few violent scenes, and no choosing. Reader discretion advised.
It turns out you can die and live again. At least I can.
When a night out goes murderously wrong, I chose leaping to my death over getting tortured. Except it turns out I don’t die like everyone else.
I’m a phoenix — or so they tell me. Apparently I need training at the Phoenix Academy.
What I really need is to get rid of the four demons haunting me wherever I go, showing up when my heart is beating fast — whether I’m nervous, afraid, or well... other things.
But I also wouldn’t mind learning how to light things on fire with my mind or take out a man twice my size with my bare hands. All things the instructors at the academy want to teach me... if I can survive long enough.
Because there’s something deadly lurking in these halls, and it’s coming for me next.
Welcome to the first year at Phoenix Academy, a place where the paranormal lives — and dies — and lives again.
This paranormal reverse harem contains mature themes, a few violent scenes, and no choosing. Reader discretion advised.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2019
836 people are currently reading
1195 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Auburn
50 books309 followersLucy Auburn is an urban fantasy/paranormal romance writer who lives in the Southwest. She loves writing interesting stories about strong women. Some of the writers who inspire her include Patricia Briggs and Sarah J. Maas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
April 11, 2019
A nice twist on the usual Phoenix myth.
Academy series are so hot right now.
Every author seems to be doing one. But I happen to be a fan of the trope and I can’t get enough of em. This was absolutely one of the better ones I’ve read.
It’s set in modern day where the supernaturals are hidden from humans. The FMC (forgotten her name already so she shall now be referred to as "she") is an orphan, homeless and doing her best to make the best of a bad situation. She ends up being killed in a demonic ritual gone wrong but surprise she’s a Phoenix and comes back to life.
Etc etc stuff happens and she ends up Phoenix Academy a school where shifters learn to protect Phoenix from the big bad Grims who want to steal their hearts. She is fully independent and I loved that about her. She didn’t go with the flow just because the shifters saved her. She’s rebellious and pushes back
”Petra said this place is safe, but she’s also convinced I’ll wear a uniform and attend classes, so clearly she’s delusional.”
The whole book is a little bit sass, a good bit of action (the sword wielding type) and a lot of humour. I think that’s a winning formula.
The most interesting thing about this RH is the harem doesn’t come from the shifter assigned to protect the Phoenix as I thought it would , granted maybe I didn't read the blurb well enough. I won’t spoil that part or leave a “Guy Guide” for my recall later because it was the part I enjoyed the most. Its totally not because I've forgotten all the names already...nope
It’s slow burn but didn’t mind that, it’s only left it more exciting for book 2.
It’s wasn’t all perfect though. There were editing problems which were noticeable. The biggest head scratcher for me was I really didn’t understand why these Phoenix are so protected in the first place. Ok so they are like an endangered species with the Grims hunting them but it didn’t really explain why they have a whole school dedicated to their protection and why all the shifters are just happy to go along and be the bodyguards?
”“Today, all of you are going to finally do what you’ve been studying all this time: protect a phoenix.”
Their whole education and purpose seems to be saving the Phoenix but why?
Finally let’s talk about that cliffhanger. I don’t usually complain about them but in this case it was completely unnecessary. Everything was wrapped up and we had a nice closing chapter then
huge cliffhanger alert!!
But if you forget about those things I really would recommend this for fans of the Academy type RH and boy that harem is going to be amazing. It’s worth reading just for them.
Academy series are so hot right now.
Every author seems to be doing one. But I happen to be a fan of the trope and I can’t get enough of em. This was absolutely one of the better ones I’ve read.
It’s set in modern day where the supernaturals are hidden from humans. The FMC (forgotten her name already so she shall now be referred to as "she") is an orphan, homeless and doing her best to make the best of a bad situation. She ends up being killed in a demonic ritual gone wrong but surprise she’s a Phoenix and comes back to life.
Etc etc stuff happens and she ends up Phoenix Academy a school where shifters learn to protect Phoenix from the big bad Grims who want to steal their hearts. She is fully independent and I loved that about her. She didn’t go with the flow just because the shifters saved her. She’s rebellious and pushes back
”Petra said this place is safe, but she’s also convinced I’ll wear a uniform and attend classes, so clearly she’s delusional.”
The whole book is a little bit sass, a good bit of action (the sword wielding type) and a lot of humour. I think that’s a winning formula.
The most interesting thing about this RH is the harem doesn’t come from the shifter assigned to protect the Phoenix as I thought it would , granted maybe I didn't read the blurb well enough. I won’t spoil that part or leave a “Guy Guide” for my recall later because it was the part I enjoyed the most. Its totally not because I've forgotten all the names already...nope
It’s slow burn but didn’t mind that, it’s only left it more exciting for book 2.
It’s wasn’t all perfect though. There were editing problems which were noticeable. The biggest head scratcher for me was I really didn’t understand why these Phoenix are so protected in the first place. Ok so they are like an endangered species with the Grims hunting them but it didn’t really explain why they have a whole school dedicated to their protection and why all the shifters are just happy to go along and be the bodyguards?
”“Today, all of you are going to finally do what you’ve been studying all this time: protect a phoenix.”
Their whole education and purpose seems to be saving the Phoenix but why?
Finally let’s talk about that cliffhanger. I don’t usually complain about them but in this case it was completely unnecessary. Everything was wrapped up and we had a nice closing chapter then
huge cliffhanger alert!!
But if you forget about those things I really would recommend this for fans of the Academy type RH and boy that harem is going to be amazing. It’s worth reading just for them.
March 28, 2019
Rating: 4 stars
I really enjoyed it.
+ Story is fast paced but it's a slow burn.
+ Whole new take on the phoenix myth.
+ The struggles of Dani were pretty well done and what should have made her annoying made me like her more.
+ And she's going to be super badass.
Trigger warning: Some bloody descriptions but relatively soft. Most gory messes are fade to black.
I really enjoyed it.
+ Story is fast paced but it's a slow burn.
+ Whole new take on the phoenix myth.
+ The struggles of Dani were pretty well done and what should have made her annoying made me like her more.
+ And she's going to be super badass.
Trigger warning: Some bloody descriptions but relatively soft. Most gory messes are fade to black.
December 1, 2022
This was fun, easy entertainment! Read it in a sitting :)
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 14, 2019
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this one! It was quick and funny, and the plot actually kept me interested. The only issue is that I'm not totally clear on what the guys look like, and it was hard to distinguish them at first. But I'm looking forward to the sequel!
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
April 1, 2019
Dnf horrible heroine
Dnf, I really tried and the story had me hooked, but I could not for the life of me get past dani's character. What a completely useless individual. Now I get she had issues with abandonment and lived on the streets, but she was just a shity person at heart. She cared for nothing or no one but herself, stole constantly because she needs the money and pretty much says ( well I'm a street rat) and she continues to repeat this over and over, eating like a slob, well I'm a street rat!, Stole from the academy she was just brought to after they saved her life, then ran away that night, well I'm a street rat! It got so old so fast. Dani was the most unlikable heroine. She doesn't even try at anything, and her excuses are just sad, she was a complete downy debber, with a big side of ass*****. I swear this girl needed a hard freaking spanking. She is also self sabotage and in denial so bad of things she's seen and did, at 48% I just could not bring myself to read on.
Dnf, I really tried and the story had me hooked, but I could not for the life of me get past dani's character. What a completely useless individual. Now I get she had issues with abandonment and lived on the streets, but she was just a shity person at heart. She cared for nothing or no one but herself, stole constantly because she needs the money and pretty much says ( well I'm a street rat) and she continues to repeat this over and over, eating like a slob, well I'm a street rat!, Stole from the academy she was just brought to after they saved her life, then ran away that night, well I'm a street rat! It got so old so fast. Dani was the most unlikable heroine. She doesn't even try at anything, and her excuses are just sad, she was a complete downy debber, with a big side of ass*****. I swear this girl needed a hard freaking spanking. She is also self sabotage and in denial so bad of things she's seen and did, at 48% I just could not bring myself to read on.
March 8, 2023
4.3 stars.
I’m intrigued.
All the hints at the big reveal were SO obvious, though. It was basically slapping her in the face and she still didn’t get it.
That was a teensy bit annoying, but I understand why, I guess.
The Demons are fun.
I can’t wait for That to get a kickstart into actual relationship territory.
It’s single POV, which isn’t my favorite, but I’m hoping that changes with the way this book ended…
We’ll see…
I’m intrigued.
All the hints at the big reveal were SO obvious, though. It was basically slapping her in the face and she still didn’t get it.
That was a teensy bit annoying, but I understand why, I guess.
The Demons are fun.
I can’t wait for That to get a kickstart into actual relationship territory.
It’s single POV, which isn’t my favorite, but I’m hoping that changes with the way this book ended…
We’ll see…
August 25, 2019
I did enjoy this. Good overall story. Looking forward to seeing where it goes.
August 19, 2021
It was decent. There is no real description of the guys, and the relationship building is seriously lacking. The story itself is quite interesting, though.
It’s funny at times, and overall not a bad read.
It’s funny at times, and overall not a bad read.
May 1, 2019
3.5 stars. Going on the list of books with really epic opening lines... for sure. I really like where this is headed! It seems my KU recommendations has been swarmed with "Academy" novels here recently. Now sure how that happened but this one has set itself ahead of the others for now. There was a hot minute in there though where I was pretty sure the FMC and I were going to have to have a "reckoning," because she seemed to be the type to shoot her self in the foot to show the man. I'm not usually down with the heroines that intentionally make their lives harder for apparently no reason.. but luckily, she wised up and started to get her game face on. So far this first book in the series had a really original flare on a classic trope. It was witty, and corny at times and I thought it was mostly entertaining.
Dani, our FMC, is homeless and if there is one thing she knows its survival of the fittest. Running into some old school friends Dani decides to go out with them, to pickpocket a few dollars and eat their food. Unfortunately for her she ends up being the sacrifice in a demon summoning ritual... not her best night.. She awakens to find the demons carrying out sentencing and punishment on the so called friends that had apparently gutted her.. except she is alive now.. somehow. Attempting to escape the demon's fury she kills herself again only to awaken and get away. Now here she is in the midst of this supernatural world with no clue what is happening but just trying to keep it real and make something happen for herself. It just gets worse for poor Dani though she is now being hunted and doesn't understand why, and has no clue who to trust. Avoiding another death by gunman Dani makes off with a group that introduce her to Phoenix Academy. Dani isn't really down with the whole nice place to stay, food every meal, and place to call home though apparently so she high tales it out after stealing a bunch of things only to come face to face with her reality. She isn't safe outside of school, and for some reason she can't kick the 4 shirtless, amazingly handsome Demons. Dani turns the only place she can for information to get her life together.. Phoenix Academy. Now she has to work for it though, she has to find a way to rid herself of the demons.. or does she? Maybe she needs them?
This book was fast paced, humorous and just an all around good quick read. Can't wait to see what happens next!
Dani, our FMC, is homeless and if there is one thing she knows its survival of the fittest. Running into some old school friends Dani decides to go out with them, to pickpocket a few dollars and eat their food. Unfortunately for her she ends up being the sacrifice in a demon summoning ritual... not her best night.. She awakens to find the demons carrying out sentencing and punishment on the so called friends that had apparently gutted her.. except she is alive now.. somehow. Attempting to escape the demon's fury she kills herself again only to awaken and get away. Now here she is in the midst of this supernatural world with no clue what is happening but just trying to keep it real and make something happen for herself. It just gets worse for poor Dani though she is now being hunted and doesn't understand why, and has no clue who to trust. Avoiding another death by gunman Dani makes off with a group that introduce her to Phoenix Academy. Dani isn't really down with the whole nice place to stay, food every meal, and place to call home though apparently so she high tales it out after stealing a bunch of things only to come face to face with her reality. She isn't safe outside of school, and for some reason she can't kick the 4 shirtless, amazingly handsome Demons. Dani turns the only place she can for information to get her life together.. Phoenix Academy. Now she has to work for it though, she has to find a way to rid herself of the demons.. or does she? Maybe she needs them?
This book was fast paced, humorous and just an all around good quick read. Can't wait to see what happens next!
August 12, 2021
This was such an interesting take on a paranormal RH! The MC is a Phoenix, and that alone makes the book stand out from others I've read. It is also a RH, which Kindle Unlimited seems to keep recommending to me. This one is better than others I've read, though. Almost as good as my favorite, Trying To Live With The Dead.
They only have a little in common. Both have female main characters with harems. Both go to school. Both have unique powers (for paranormal stories). I think it is the slow burn approach I like. Both series take time for the MC and her harem to start liking each other. The books that just start out with instant lust are not as interesting to me.
I look forward to reading more about this Phoenix as she learns more about herself and her powers in the next book!
They only have a little in common. Both have female main characters with harems. Both go to school. Both have unique powers (for paranormal stories). I think it is the slow burn approach I like. Both series take time for the MC and her harem to start liking each other. The books that just start out with instant lust are not as interesting to me.
I look forward to reading more about this Phoenix as she learns more about herself and her powers in the next book!
dnf
May 25, 2021DNF at 39%. Dani is such a woe is me character. I hated that even though she DIED AND CAME BACK TO LIFE, she was still denying that she was a Phoenix. Also, I wasn’t really liking the plot. Dani is just sooooo annoying
April 11, 2019
enjoyed it but didnt like the MC thought she was a bit dumb and tsl at times but got better near the end. I like all her demons though I want to check out the next one
November 4, 2019
3.5 stars
March 13, 2024
Awaken is a fun little NA book that reads more like YA. It's simple, straightforward and very predictable, but I had a good time reading it. It has all the basic elements of an academy reverse harem book and not much more than that. I enjoyed the four demons though. I'm not really invested enough to keep reading, but I expect people who do pick up the second book in the series will have a fun time with it.
May 9, 2019
Welcome to the first year at Phoenix Academy, a place where the paranormal lives — and dies — and lives again. Just that one line and I am hooked, I have to read this and I was not disappointed! A fab storyline with a kick ass MC and four sexy shirtless demons, I can’t wait to read how their relationships develop!
November 4, 2021
Frustrating to read.
June 9, 2019
Great story
So much going on. Love it. Fantastic characters. Great story line. I can not wait to read the rest of the series.
So much going on. Love it. Fantastic characters. Great story line. I can not wait to read the rest of the series.
August 1, 2019
3.5 stars
Nice cover artwork. Slowburn relationships but fast paced plot. I liked the demons, the way they come into the story and the way they haunt, as well as the nicknames. Undecided on the MC, at points she’s stubborn, flighty and damsel in distress. The constant running away got tiresome. The school it’s self felt like a stop gap. Cliffhanger ending. Will probably read the next one, I’m in it for the demons.
Okay second reading since I threw a hissy fit the first time around, because the only thing worse than a cliffhanger is a pointless cliffhanger and I’ve decided to finally get around to reading the second one but pretty much forgot all that happened. I’m just hoping I don’t regret it.
Reading this through was one of those ah moments because I realised what exactly I like about this book. I do like the phoenix theme and not dying thing but ultimately it’s the demons Ezra, Mateo, Sebastian and Lynx that held my interest - despite the fact you don’t learn much about them - because their situation is pretty much a reverse of 4 psychos and I have a thing for ghost/invisible love interests.
Other than that Dani has some growing to do and I’d like to see just how she survived being homeless, because yeah, I don’t see it. I’m hoping to learn more about the demons, so some growth from them as well. I’m surprised this reads through so quickly and yeah the academy still feels like a checkpoint and not as fleshed out as other academy stories.
The cliffhanger? Still irritates me.
Nice cover artwork. Slowburn relationships but fast paced plot. I liked the demons, the way they come into the story and the way they haunt, as well as the nicknames. Undecided on the MC, at points she’s stubborn, flighty and damsel in distress. The constant running away got tiresome. The school it’s self felt like a stop gap. Cliffhanger ending. Will probably read the next one, I’m in it for the demons.
Okay second reading since I threw a hissy fit the first time around, because the only thing worse than a cliffhanger is a pointless cliffhanger and I’ve decided to finally get around to reading the second one but pretty much forgot all that happened. I’m just hoping I don’t regret it.
Reading this through was one of those ah moments because I realised what exactly I like about this book. I do like the phoenix theme and not dying thing but ultimately it’s the demons Ezra, Mateo, Sebastian and Lynx that held my interest - despite the fact you don’t learn much about them - because their situation is pretty much a reverse of 4 psychos and I have a thing for ghost/invisible love interests.
Other than that Dani has some growing to do and I’d like to see just how she survived being homeless, because yeah, I don’t see it. I’m hoping to learn more about the demons, so some growth from them as well. I’m surprised this reads through so quickly and yeah the academy still feels like a checkpoint and not as fleshed out as other academy stories.
The cliffhanger? Still irritates me.
May 12, 2019
I was scrolling through a FB group, and say the first line of this book, and that had me laughing and I was hooked! I downloaded this book immediately and devoured it! The unique characters, the captivating plot and it is a recipe for a must read and one click for book 2!
June 1, 2019
Pages: 292
My rating (stars): 4
Read other books from this author in the future: yes
Another difficult review. I read this book after reading The Culling Trials #1 and #2. So I think it is difficult to compete with two books I literally devoured.
I enjoyed the book and aready started the next one in this series. It’s a reverse harem slow burn story and Dani (the MC) is a badass heroine. Realistically she struggles and like in a lot of RH books she is poor and out of the foster care system. There is a lot of action in those books .
I definitiv liked this book. But it ends on a cliffhanger which is always a minus for me.
February 14, 2022
“As far as I know, demon sex is the last way you’re supposed to lose your virginity.”
Does this tell you how amazing this book was ... no ? Then let me tell you !! I read this so quickly I couldn’t stop !! The main character is strong but doesn’t trust easy and that’s due to her hard life but she isn’t stupid and she steps up and kicks ass !!! But the main guys whoa ... can I say I love demons !!! The guys were perfect I can’t wait until they get together... they better I should say !!! This is a must read !!!
Does this tell you how amazing this book was ... no ? Then let me tell you !! I read this so quickly I couldn’t stop !! The main character is strong but doesn’t trust easy and that’s due to her hard life but she isn’t stupid and she steps up and kicks ass !!! But the main guys whoa ... can I say I love demons !!! The guys were perfect I can’t wait until they get together... they better I should say !!! This is a must read !!!
February 6, 2023
Why did you read this book?
I was in the mood to read reverse harem romances.
What format did you read this book in?
Read it as an ebook on Kindle.
Is this an educational book or a book for entertainment?
I read this book for pure entertainment purposes.
What genres do you think this book belongs to?
Fantasy, Horror, Humor and Comedy, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense
What was your favorite part in the book? Spoilers
I liked that the main character ran away from the Academy she was forced to go to. Too often main characters and other stories say they will run away and never do. I liked the fact that she put her money where her mouth was.
Who would you suggest this book to?
Anyone who likes action fantasy romance with Academy tropes.
What is your general opinion/ rating of this book? Spoilers
I really enjoyed this book. I'm a huge fan of dark humor and the fact the main character kept dying repetitively in unique ways hooked my interest into the story. The author does give some effort and to differentiating the love interests, which I appreciate. However, there were times that it was hard to tell them apart besides small descriptions of their weapons or abilities. As the story progresses this gets a bit better. I really appreciate how strong and stubborn the main character is and how she stays within her developed character. Besides, the idea of a black phoenix is really cool. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I think the author does a great job in world building. Since this is a series I plan to read the rest of them when I have the time.
Are there any cliché scenes or concepts? (If yes, does the author add something unique to them?)
the common trope of the main character being an orphan with special powers because of her lineage. The love interests being connected to the main character because of magic. The main character doing something to get the attention of a special magic school that she is forced to go to.
How intense are the intimacy scenes?
There are several fantasy scenes that the main character dreams about. Also with the love interests not being corporeal there is mostly only foreplay.
At what “burn” level is the romance?
Medium burn.
Love interests, how many of them are there and what gender? Spoilers
There are 4 love interests, all of them males, and demons.
Ezra- Sword weilder and can sense people’s powers.
Lynx- Ropes and can see into souls.
Meteo- Bomber and can mess with memories.
Sebastian- Poisoner and can manipulate pain.
Any trigger warnings?
Mental Health: Suicide Idealization, Trivializing Mental Illness, Romanticized Mental Illness, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Trauma, Child Abandonment
Sexual Content: Explicit Sex Scene
Violence and Death: Death, Death of a Loved One, Graphic Deaths, Mass Death, Murder, Execution, Burning People, Extreme Violence, Gore, Mutilation, Self-Mutilation, Mutilation of Corpses, Cutting of Limbs, Escalating Violence, Described Blood, Graphic Violence
Other: Kidnapping(?), Hostage Situation, Bullying, Profanity
I was in the mood to read reverse harem romances.
What format did you read this book in?
Read it as an ebook on Kindle.
Is this an educational book or a book for entertainment?
I read this book for pure entertainment purposes.
What genres do you think this book belongs to?
Fantasy, Horror, Humor and Comedy, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense
What was your favorite part in the book? Spoilers
I liked that the main character ran away from the Academy she was forced to go to. Too often main characters and other stories say they will run away and never do. I liked the fact that she put her money where her mouth was.
Who would you suggest this book to?
Anyone who likes action fantasy romance with Academy tropes.
What is your general opinion/ rating of this book? Spoilers
I really enjoyed this book. I'm a huge fan of dark humor and the fact the main character kept dying repetitively in unique ways hooked my interest into the story. The author does give some effort and to differentiating the love interests, which I appreciate. However, there were times that it was hard to tell them apart besides small descriptions of their weapons or abilities. As the story progresses this gets a bit better. I really appreciate how strong and stubborn the main character is and how she stays within her developed character. Besides, the idea of a black phoenix is really cool. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I think the author does a great job in world building. Since this is a series I plan to read the rest of them when I have the time.
Are there any cliché scenes or concepts? (If yes, does the author add something unique to them?)
the common trope of the main character being an orphan with special powers because of her lineage. The love interests being connected to the main character because of magic. The main character doing something to get the attention of a special magic school that she is forced to go to.
How intense are the intimacy scenes?
There are several fantasy scenes that the main character dreams about. Also with the love interests not being corporeal there is mostly only foreplay.
At what “burn” level is the romance?
Medium burn.
Love interests, how many of them are there and what gender? Spoilers
There are 4 love interests, all of them males, and demons.
Ezra- Sword weilder and can sense people’s powers.
Lynx- Ropes and can see into souls.
Meteo- Bomber and can mess with memories.
Sebastian- Poisoner and can manipulate pain.
Any trigger warnings?
Mental Health: Suicide Idealization, Trivializing Mental Illness, Romanticized Mental Illness, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Trauma, Child Abandonment
Sexual Content: Explicit Sex Scene
Violence and Death: Death, Death of a Loved One, Graphic Deaths, Mass Death, Murder, Execution, Burning People, Extreme Violence, Gore, Mutilation, Self-Mutilation, Mutilation of Corpses, Cutting of Limbs, Escalating Violence, Described Blood, Graphic Violence
Other: Kidnapping(?), Hostage Situation, Bullying, Profanity
March 10, 2021
A cliffhanger, really?!?!! Ugh. Well, at least it made deciding the review score a whole lot easier as they always get a penalty.
The story itself is quite fun and interesting. Cool take on the phoenix tale. And the incorporeal harem makes for another intriguing factor. Although so far they haven't been very distinguishable from each other.
I quite like Dani and her group of new friends, even if they've been little more than extras.
Here are my issues,
I know, I am a picky reader, so these may not bother you but for me they kinda ruin the fun.
- The lack of straight answers, the dragging out of the 'reveal' until the last possible moment. (Even though it was the only logical conclusion, at least the color was after the reaction at the testing)
- For about 70% of the book both the reader and the mc have no clue as to what's really going on. Just a whole bunch of the vaguest of hints about underlying secrets.
- Not a fan of this trope of newly discovered snowflake attends a few classes, doesn't learn a thing, only to find herself in a fight for her life a few days later. Wouldn't it be nice if for a change they'd actually attend the classes, pay attention and learn something!!!
- Points 2+3 can basically be summed up as poor/ lazy plot building.
- Also not a fan of virgins and harems. That just feels too much like cheap porn fantasy.
So yeah, while it held a lot of promise with some very unique features overall I couldn't fully enjoy or commit because I kept noticing all these things that were bothering me and having just taken a glimpse at some of the reviews for the next installment, I don't think I'll be continuing this series. At least not at this point.
The story itself is quite fun and interesting. Cool take on the phoenix tale. And the incorporeal harem makes for another intriguing factor. Although so far they haven't been very distinguishable from each other.
I quite like Dani and her group of new friends, even if they've been little more than extras.
Here are my issues,
I know, I am a picky reader, so these may not bother you but for me they kinda ruin the fun.
- The lack of straight answers, the dragging out of the 'reveal' until the last possible moment. (Even though it was the only logical conclusion, at least the color was after the reaction at the testing)
- For about 70% of the book both the reader and the mc have no clue as to what's really going on. Just a whole bunch of the vaguest of hints about underlying secrets.
- Not a fan of this trope of newly discovered snowflake attends a few classes, doesn't learn a thing, only to find herself in a fight for her life a few days later. Wouldn't it be nice if for a change they'd actually attend the classes, pay attention and learn something!!!
- Points 2+3 can basically be summed up as poor/ lazy plot building.
- Also not a fan of virgins and harems. That just feels too much like cheap porn fantasy.
So yeah, while it held a lot of promise with some very unique features overall I couldn't fully enjoy or commit because I kept noticing all these things that were bothering me and having just taken a glimpse at some of the reviews for the next installment, I don't think I'll be continuing this series. At least not at this point.
October 9, 2019
Dani is homeless and just trying to make enough money to buy the house of the only person who actually cared for her in foster care before she died. But she's drawn into a sinister plan when she runs into a few people she knew from a fancy school. After failing to kill her as a sacrifice for some dark magic, demons show up and murder all but Dani. Not wanting to die a horrific death, she throws herself off a cliff and dies.
But she awakens and discovers she's a phoenix. After being hunted, she's taken to the Phoenix Academy, a school for shifters and phoenixes to protect them from hunters and help them control their powers. But something evil stalks the school, and it isn't the four demons that are now tied to Dani.
I always like a book on a lesser used animal shifter and a phoenix is definitely that. It also fits into the current trend of a magical boarding school. I liked Dani, I liked the depth of her character. I liked that the street rat aspect of her character didn't immediately vanish just because she's a phoenix or a student at the school. I also liked the demons and their relationship with each other and Dani. They were a bit more like anti-heroes, doing terrible things to terrible people for a good reason. Although the thought of ripping someone's dick off, balls and all, was a bit hard to remove from my brain.
Plot-wise, it was interesting but this book is a bit more of a world-building introduction to the series. I think I would have preferred if it had a more developed plot. If I were to describe the plot (which I won't 'cause no spoilers) I could probably do it in two sentences, which isn't great considering that it's a decent length book.
But she awakens and discovers she's a phoenix. After being hunted, she's taken to the Phoenix Academy, a school for shifters and phoenixes to protect them from hunters and help them control their powers. But something evil stalks the school, and it isn't the four demons that are now tied to Dani.
I always like a book on a lesser used animal shifter and a phoenix is definitely that. It also fits into the current trend of a magical boarding school. I liked Dani, I liked the depth of her character. I liked that the street rat aspect of her character didn't immediately vanish just because she's a phoenix or a student at the school. I also liked the demons and their relationship with each other and Dani. They were a bit more like anti-heroes, doing terrible things to terrible people for a good reason. Although the thought of ripping someone's dick off, balls and all, was a bit hard to remove from my brain.
Plot-wise, it was interesting but this book is a bit more of a world-building introduction to the series. I think I would have preferred if it had a more developed plot. If I were to describe the plot (which I won't 'cause no spoilers) I could probably do it in two sentences, which isn't great considering that it's a decent length book.
February 3, 2025
Series Review
Series Name: Phoenix Academy Beginnings
Books 1 & 2: 4 stars ****
Book 3: 3 stars ***
Books 4 & 5: 2 Stars **
The writing started off good. I was fully interested in the story for the first two books, but somewhere in the third it started to get a bit harder. By the last two I just skimmed the story. The main character comes across as an idiot. She never trusts anyone and just does whatever the hell she wants which is usually what puts her at risk. She doesn’t listen when people try to warn her about something (Oh there is a really strong enemy coming for you. Yes specifically for you and this school, but yea that’s cool just completely ignore the several warnings and don’t even look into it so that when the big bad does come you have to scramble around to try and save the day!
And when there is a problem, she just goes along with what everyone says needs to be done to fix the problem. There’s no research or looking into things to make sure the solution being offered by random new guy is legit. It’s like she refuses to trust someone when she should and does trust when she shouldn’t. Also, you’re this mysterious kind of phoenix, how about doing some of your own research into trying to find out what you are, what you can do, what powers you have. Instead, she just sits there and waits for someone else to teach her. She has the power to summon demons and make them obey her. She COULD use that power to get knowledge into what else she can do, but no…let’s just wait for someone else to decide what you should know.
The writing gets a bit boring after the 3rd book. It feels like the author wrapped up the series after the 3rd book and then was like “oh yea, there are these other little issues I never wrapped up” so she very hastily added two more books but did a very poor job with them. The writing and editing goes downhill swiftly. The setup in the 4th book takes way too long to get to the point. Nearly 50 pages (20%) before the problem they’re supposed to solve was introduced. It just got tiring and I had to skim through the last 2 books just to finish.
EDITING: There were a lot of editing errors. It seemed like the further into the story the more errors were found.
SPICE LEVEL: Low 2/5
ENDING: HEA, Epilogue sets up a classmate’s story. One that I will not be reading.
Series Name: Phoenix Academy Beginnings
Books 1 & 2: 4 stars ****
Book 3: 3 stars ***
Books 4 & 5: 2 Stars **
The writing started off good. I was fully interested in the story for the first two books, but somewhere in the third it started to get a bit harder. By the last two I just skimmed the story. The main character comes across as an idiot. She never trusts anyone and just does whatever the hell she wants which is usually what puts her at risk. She doesn’t listen when people try to warn her about something (Oh there is a really strong enemy coming for you. Yes specifically for you and this school, but yea that’s cool just completely ignore the several warnings and don’t even look into it so that when the big bad does come you have to scramble around to try and save the day!
And when there is a problem, she just goes along with what everyone says needs to be done to fix the problem. There’s no research or looking into things to make sure the solution being offered by random new guy is legit. It’s like she refuses to trust someone when she should and does trust when she shouldn’t. Also, you’re this mysterious kind of phoenix, how about doing some of your own research into trying to find out what you are, what you can do, what powers you have. Instead, she just sits there and waits for someone else to teach her. She has the power to summon demons and make them obey her. She COULD use that power to get knowledge into what else she can do, but no…let’s just wait for someone else to decide what you should know.
The writing gets a bit boring after the 3rd book. It feels like the author wrapped up the series after the 3rd book and then was like “oh yea, there are these other little issues I never wrapped up” so she very hastily added two more books but did a very poor job with them. The writing and editing goes downhill swiftly. The setup in the 4th book takes way too long to get to the point. Nearly 50 pages (20%) before the problem they’re supposed to solve was introduced. It just got tiring and I had to skim through the last 2 books just to finish.
EDITING: There were a lot of editing errors. It seemed like the further into the story the more errors were found.
SPICE LEVEL: Low 2/5
ENDING: HEA, Epilogue sets up a classmate’s story. One that I will not be reading.
March 30, 2019
I read Awaken in one setting, it was that smooth and engaging enough that I didn't wanna drift off. I really wanted to savour this book because a good RH read is hard to come by but I couldn't stop flipping onto the next page fast enough.
I found the phoenix thing refreshing in a very safe non-risky sort of way. It's a good mix with the rest of the elements like shifters or demons that are all too familiar. I'm glad to see some side characters that don't feel like cardboard cutouts. I think the academy setting had a good use and not just a namesake location change.
Coming to the main characters, I got annoyed by Dani a few times even if I could understand her character's motivations. The demons with their invisible ghosty thing reminded me so much of Paca and her boys, the whole thing is just in reverse here. I quite enjoyed their gory entrance in the book but sadly after that banging introduction they get sort of.. boring and shallow. I wanted to see more from them, I'm hoping they get to shine in the next book.
It's a good RH read that is a slow burn when it comes to the romance but there is enough for me to see the potential forming and it's actually quite nice not to see them going gaga over Dani just yet. An intriguing plot is a plus point.
I found the phoenix thing refreshing in a very safe non-risky sort of way. It's a good mix with the rest of the elements like shifters or demons that are all too familiar. I'm glad to see some side characters that don't feel like cardboard cutouts. I think the academy setting had a good use and not just a namesake location change.
Coming to the main characters, I got annoyed by Dani a few times even if I could understand her character's motivations. The demons with their invisible ghosty thing reminded me so much of Paca and her boys, the whole thing is just in reverse here. I quite enjoyed their gory entrance in the book but sadly after that banging introduction they get sort of.. boring and shallow. I wanted to see more from them, I'm hoping they get to shine in the next book.
It's a good RH read that is a slow burn when it comes to the romance but there is enough for me to see the potential forming and it's actually quite nice not to see them going gaga over Dani just yet. An intriguing plot is a plus point.
April 25, 2019
This story started off a little slow and I'm not going to lie, there were a few times I thought about putting it down.
I wasn't feeling the girl at first.
Her demeanor/attitude just seemed of-putting.
But I'm so glad I stayed with it.
Dani is homeless due to a series of unfortunate events that led to seeing life on the streets as the easiest option.
She's made it work for her and has one goal in life.
Though it seems nearly impossible.
After running into old "friends" from high school, her life is turned upside down.
A new school.
New friends.
New ghosts...?
I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised where this book led and I'm curious to see where it goes from here.
I haven't read much by this other, I think only one book, but after the initial hump of getting into the book, I enjoyed the writing style.
Book Two releases on May 15th, so you won't have a long time to wait if you pick the book up now.
And I would definitely recommend reading it.
Academy romances are all the rage right now, and I've found myself down the rabbit hole.
This is only my second one so far, but I have several on my Kindle to be read.
As well as a few pre-ordered.
I wasn't feeling the girl at first.
Her demeanor/attitude just seemed of-putting.
But I'm so glad I stayed with it.
Dani is homeless due to a series of unfortunate events that led to seeing life on the streets as the easiest option.
She's made it work for her and has one goal in life.
Though it seems nearly impossible.
After running into old "friends" from high school, her life is turned upside down.
A new school.
New friends.
New ghosts...?
I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised where this book led and I'm curious to see where it goes from here.
I haven't read much by this other, I think only one book, but after the initial hump of getting into the book, I enjoyed the writing style.
Book Two releases on May 15th, so you won't have a long time to wait if you pick the book up now.
And I would definitely recommend reading it.
Academy romances are all the rage right now, and I've found myself down the rabbit hole.
This is only my second one so far, but I have several on my Kindle to be read.
As well as a few pre-ordered.
January 23, 2020
Four psychotic demons haunting a badass heroine because she somehow anchored them to her? Hell yes, that works!
It didn’t hurt that there was some dark humor as well. The author sets the expectations high already in the opening line: “It all started with a severed dick.” The most gory scenes take place in the beginning of the book though, probably because the demons are mostly restricted by their incorporeal form in the rest of it...
The storyline is fast paced and action filled, with a heroine who dies in the first chapters and resurrects because she’s a phoenix. She is then saved by a gang of shifters and is brought to an academy. The academy’s sole purpose seems to be to protect phoenixes from a group of people who wish to carve out the phoenixes’ hearts. Of course the heroine ends up in trouble, several times.
There are some things that still bothered me.
- I had a hard time picturing the characters, especially the four demons. After reading nearly 300 pages I still can’t even recall their hair colors. All I remember is that one has blue eyes and one has green.
- Most side-characters felt flat.
- The writing changed tone after the first chapters, and I really liked the tone in the first ones.
- A cliffhanger just for the sake of it. Totally unnecessary.
Still an enjoyable read though!
It didn’t hurt that there was some dark humor as well. The author sets the expectations high already in the opening line: “It all started with a severed dick.” The most gory scenes take place in the beginning of the book though, probably because the demons are mostly restricted by their incorporeal form in the rest of it...
The storyline is fast paced and action filled, with a heroine who dies in the first chapters and resurrects because she’s a phoenix. She is then saved by a gang of shifters and is brought to an academy. The academy’s sole purpose seems to be to protect phoenixes from a group of people who wish to carve out the phoenixes’ hearts. Of course the heroine ends up in trouble, several times.
There are some things that still bothered me.
- I had a hard time picturing the characters, especially the four demons. After reading nearly 300 pages I still can’t even recall their hair colors. All I remember is that one has blue eyes and one has green.
- Most side-characters felt flat.
- The writing changed tone after the first chapters, and I really liked the tone in the first ones.
- A cliffhanger just for the sake of it. Totally unnecessary.
Still an enjoyable read though!
April 2, 2019
Nice read
Overall 3.5-4 stars (3.5 maybe after that crappy cliffhanger lol). Anyway, the book was definitely captivating. The first chapter alone had a killer opening. The FMC is a spunky, homeless young woman. She's resourceful and knows what she needs to do to survivr... or so she thinks. Enters 4 hot demons with a thing for killing evil souls...well they definitely love the action. The FMC now has the 4 bound to her and she's not human anymore either. So the book was easy to read, the the setting and world-building could use a tad more work. I may have just expected more fanciful decriptions- more tropey (not a bad thing) with a high school vibe vs young adult mentality. I did like how she didn't trust anyone except herself which is believable of a person in her situation. She didn't experience insta anything: love, trust, like etc. I also need more interactions with the hot demon quartet- did not get enough out of them, just snippets, so I cannot definitively grasp their personalities. Interesting enough to read the next book, but I hope for more from the characters if I'm to stay into this series.
Overall 3.5-4 stars (3.5 maybe after that crappy cliffhanger lol). Anyway, the book was definitely captivating. The first chapter alone had a killer opening. The FMC is a spunky, homeless young woman. She's resourceful and knows what she needs to do to survivr... or so she thinks. Enters 4 hot demons with a thing for killing evil souls...well they definitely love the action. The FMC now has the 4 bound to her and she's not human anymore either. So the book was easy to read, the the setting and world-building could use a tad more work. I may have just expected more fanciful decriptions- more tropey (not a bad thing) with a high school vibe vs young adult mentality. I did like how she didn't trust anyone except herself which is believable of a person in her situation. She didn't experience insta anything: love, trust, like etc. I also need more interactions with the hot demon quartet- did not get enough out of them, just snippets, so I cannot definitively grasp their personalities. Interesting enough to read the next book, but I hope for more from the characters if I'm to stay into this series.
February 24, 2020
It reminds me a lot about the “Curse of the Gods” series.
I like the premise of the story, it’s fast paced and funny. It is also VERY annoying. Or, the heroine is very annoying. It’s just too much. The worst is how she refuses to believe she is a phoenix even though she died and came back alive, has four demons with her at all times and can see paranormal people who she feels “wants to remove her heart from her chest”. She naturally runs away from the safe academy to go back to live on the streets. Shockingly she’s attacked right away, and still she doesn’t want to go back.. It’s also mildly annoying when she refers to herself as a “street rat” over and over. And every time she talks about her iPhone she has to explain how it’s old, cracked, outdated, etc etc.
When the demons kill her “friends” from high school, their reasoning for 3/4 kills is just insane. They weren’t good people by any stretch, but the death penalty was harsh..
And she constantly thinks sexy thoughts about the demons, even when she herself is in mortal danger, or somebody else is.. Just, nope.
But, I’m still reading the next one , so I’ll be kind with 3*.
I like the premise of the story, it’s fast paced and funny. It is also VERY annoying. Or, the heroine is very annoying. It’s just too much. The worst is how she refuses to believe she is a phoenix even though she died and came back alive, has four demons with her at all times and can see paranormal people who she feels “wants to remove her heart from her chest”. She naturally runs away from the safe academy to go back to live on the streets. Shockingly she’s attacked right away, and still she doesn’t want to go back.. It’s also mildly annoying when she refers to herself as a “street rat” over and over. And every time she talks about her iPhone she has to explain how it’s old, cracked, outdated, etc etc.
When the demons kill her “friends” from high school, their reasoning for 3/4 kills is just insane. They weren’t good people by any stretch, but the death penalty was harsh..
And she constantly thinks sexy thoughts about the demons, even when she herself is in mortal danger, or somebody else is.. Just, nope.
But, I’m still reading the next one , so I’ll be kind with 3*.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews