Seven Story Publishing

1. Title: The Phoenix Keeper and the City of The Sun
2. Author: Margarita Artista
3. Genre: Fantasy
4. Summary: Seraphine’s journey is just beginning.
   • She’s eager to start the next stage of her life at university in San Diego. Everything seems to be going smoothly – that is, until a series of bizarre and extraordinary events not only reshapes her entire sense of self, but also unexpectedly links her to Felix Clarkson, the peculiar son of a wealthy business patriarch.
   • Seraphine and Felix struggle to look past their stark differences as they address their unlikely similarities, making the rapid changes Seraphine has to face increasingly difficult to navigate. But when a shocking discovery shatters the foundations of Seraphine’s new identity, she realizes she isn’t finished redefining herself, even at the risk of danger and much to Felix’s resistance.
   • Already faced with a complex new life, Seraphine must now decide whether to pursue the potential of a daring new reality, or to remain hidden behind Felix’s warning – and possibly, from the truth.
   • Delicately introspective and marvelously stimulating, The Phoenix Keeper and the City of the Sun is the electrifying first book in the Phoenix Keeper series.
5. Publisher: Independently Published
6. Publication Date: August 4, 2024
7. Page Count: 336

General Review

1. Description and Imagery: The author describes things beautifully throughout the story, placing you firmly in the scene which makes it easy for you to get lost in the world that makes up the story. The author also does a fantastic job with describing facial expressions which starkly convey the various emotions of the characters throughout the events, demonstrating the complexity of their relationship to each other.
2. Relatability of MC: Seraphine is stubborn, opinionated, snarky, combative, and also the opposite of all those things. This main character will remind readers of someone in their life they know to possess some or all of these traits. She will frustrate you, make you scratch your head, and struggle to figure out just what’s going on in her head. She will kick in the doors of your mind and live rent free in your head, much like a cat. But truthfully, these are our favorite types of MC’s whether we want to admit it or not.
3. Pacing: There are times in the story where it can seem a bit slow for more fast paced readers. Overall, the events played out naturally and time passed in a familiar fashion that didn’t seem out of place.
4. Perspective: The story seems to be a bit one sided. We see it all play out in front of Seraphine’s eyes and a bit through Felix’s. We don’t really get enough of Felix throughout the story to fully understand both sides of the dynamic between them. This is subjective as some readers will resonate more with Seraphine and not see a problem with this; however, for readers who like a bit more balance, this might trouble them in a sense. Then again, a story is not meant to be for everyone, even a good one.
5. Vibe Check: This is a great story for those who like indie authors and have a penchant for Greek mythology. This is also a great story for those who like a slow burn romance that starts off terribly but gets better over time, those who live for the complexity of an ambiguous dynamic.

Personal Review

While the storyline was great and the vents took place at a natural pace, the dynamic between Seraphine and Felix is a bit of a headscratcher. It started off with Felix having an attraction to her and her sensing something was off between them, then she takes it upon herself to make it bigger than it is and then suddenly WWIII starts.

The precise trigger that caused Seraphine to have an unjustified attitude toward Felix while being nice to everyone else was the focal point of our bewilderment.

Secondly, we don’t get enough of Felix and his side of the relationship which paints a one-sided narrative that Felix is the proverbial “bad guy” and Seraphine is an innocent girl that’s being put through the wringer which is clearly not the case.

Yes, extraordinary circumstances did enter her life but she treats Felix as if he is the progenitor of such circumstances which is highly unfair and paints him in an obscure light.

The storyline itself and the premise of the Phoenix Keeper is unique in itself and an intriguing concept that would catch most readers; however, the dynamic between Seraphine and Felix is something that we see bothering the more critical and analytical readers.

Which isn’t a bad thing. . .

A story that can inspire any emotion out of readers is a good one as that is the purpose of fiction and other works, to get the readers invested.

We at Seven Story Publishing rate this story a solid 4/5 stars and recommend it to anyone that is into fantasy with a penchant for Greek Mythology with a hint of philosophy!

Follow and Connect with Margarita Artista

About

As much as she can recall, Margarita has been writing since she was able to hold a pen. Her first works included one-page stories about the planets and the interesting personalities her four-year old mind gave them. Margarita’s studies in Sociology and Media & Communications helped her become more aware of the world around her. She drew great inspiration from her learnings and decided to embark on the creative journey of writing words as intriguing as the society she discovered surrounded her.

Margarita’s favourite authors include Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, John Green, Sarah J. Maas, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, and Emily Bronte. Her favourite poets include Atticus and Rupi Kaur. Her favourite books are Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and its sequel Lila by Robert M. Pirsig.

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