Review: Stealing Phoenix - Joss Stirling

What do you do when your soulmate turns out to be a thief?

Steal her, of course.

Phoenix was raised within the Community, a gang of thieves with paranormal powers, under the control of a harsh master known as the Seer. The notion that there's a soulmate out there for every person with a paranormal gift is mere myth in Phoenix's world. That is until the Seer gives Phoenix the details of her next target, Yves Benedict.

He's more than just her next victim, he is her destiny. To be together, Phoenix must break away from the Community but resistance against the Seer puts them both in mortal danger. Phoenix has never trusted anyone before, now it's time to trust Yves with her life.

Savants Series:
Finding Sky
Challenging Zed (Free Short Story)
Stealing Phoenix
Burning Yves (Free Short Story)
Seeking Crystal
Misty Falls
Angel Dares
Summer Shadows

Check out Joss Stirling's website for more information

Review:
Phoenix (Phee) has been bought up in a community of savants who are all controlled by the Seer.  He has strong powers of mind control and has instilled fear into the entire community, if they don't do what he tells them too then there will be severe consequences.  Phee is often sent out to steal for the Seer and has to bring back whatever he requests but when she is asked to steal from Yves things don't quite go to plan.  When Yves realises that Phee is his soulfinder he is horrified by the fact that she is a thief but as he learns more about her upbringing he becomes determined to save her from the Seer's clutches.  It isn't going to be an easy task though and they will need the help of his family to do it.

I loved the first book in this series Finding Sky so was very excited about getting my hands Stealing Phoenix. Now, having read both books, I'm really struggling to decide which one I liked best - Yves may just have stolen my heart from Zed!  In my review of Finding Sky I said that it was a must read for fans of YA paranormal romance who were looking for something different and I can definitely say the same about Stealing Phoenix.  This is a series you want to watch out for and I'm very excited to know we're going to get to see more of the Benedict brothers in the future.

Phee is a character you can relate to from the very beginning, she may be a thief but it is down to the way she has been raised rather than a personal choice she has made.  The Seer is a baddie with truly horrific powers and I spent a lot of the book worrying about how Phee and Yves could possibly escape from him.  Phee may be under the Seer's control but she is still a strong character and she does her best to stand up to him.  She hasn't had the best start in life but she dreams of something better and meeting Yves and his family finally shows her what things could be like.  Although she desperately wants that happy family she is scared to trust that that could be an option for her, she is frightened of what the Seer is capable of and worried about what could happen if she tries to escape.

I've already said that I liked Yves even more than Zed which is something I wasn't expecting because I loved Zed!  Yves has the whole geeky genius vibe going for him and I have to admit to having a soft spot for the geeky guys.  He is extremely intelligent but also very shy and has no idea of the effect he has on the women around him which was quite funny to watch.  I loved getting to see him with his family and just like in the first book I enjoyed the banter between all of the brothers and the fact that although they tease each other they still have each other's backs.

The plot is fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat but I also enjoyed the romance between Phee and Yves as she slowly learns to trust him.  I can't wait to see what Joss Stirling comes up with next and am very much looking forward to reading Xav's story which I understand is up next.  If you haven't started this series yet you could probably read Stealing Phoenix as a stand along story but I'd highly recommend starting with Finding Sky, both are great books and you'll be missing a treat if you don't!

Source: Received from OUP in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
The Book Addicted Girl
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