Review: Stealing Pheonix by Joss Stirling

Title: Stealing Phoenix
Series: Benedict #2
Author: Joss Stirling
Publisher: OUP
Publication Date: 1 Sep 2011

Synopsis from Goodreads

Yves' story.This is about getting you out...I'm stealing you.Phoenix belongs to the Community - a gang of thieves with paranormal powers. Yves Benedict - an American student visiting London - is her mark. But Yves turns out to be more than just a target. He is her destiny. Her soul-mate. But the Community owns Phoenix's past and it wants her future too.

REVIEW

Please bear in mind this is book 2 of the series and may therefore contain spoilers for the first book.

I can't say that this is a direct sequel to Finding Sky because it isn't more like a companion novel with the focus on a different brother. I know that this has probably been said and I just hate to compare books but it really is along the lines of The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey in respect that it follows the different stories of 7 brothers but this time they aren't vampires, lol. If you know me you know how much I love love love The Drakes. The soul-mate theme is a winner for me, serious swoon time.

Told in first person narrative but this time with alternating perspectives of Phoenix and Yves, the next brother down from Zed features in Finding Sky. Yves is nothing like Zed, he has his geek on and is totally happy with it, a tech whizz he really is quite an astounding character. So smart, clever and nice. I heart him. 

I really liked Phoenix as a character, she accepted who she was and got on with things when they needed to be done. Not knowing any other kind of life and 'cult brain washed' to a degree I felt protective of her and was rooting for her from the outset. Although she is very self-aware she realises her abilities and limitations. I don't know many people my age who are that self aware let alone a teen. The way in which she used libraries as a haven immediately endeared her to me. 

Images of Oliver Twist  abound at the the start, re-enforced later in the narrative with references to Fagin and the band of pick-pockets he commands. 

I could have totally slapped Phoenix for resisting her destiny. Seriously I would completely love a soul-mate, and with such a hot guy I don't think I would be running away. 

I am not going to go into details of the plot as I will be forcing this into the hands of passing strangers to read and want them to have the full experience of just how clever the way in which the plot unravels really is. Topical references within the narrative aid the realism of the story. Again the way in which the title is involved within the plot itself is just genius. 

I loved the way in which Sky and Zed's relationship was developed alongside this companion novel, a brilliant piece of plot/character control on behalf of Joss  Stirling. The way in which Sky as depicted as a role model for Phoenix even though she is younger was inspirational. Sky has a wonderful maturity about her that really shines through the storyline, probably due to her experiences in Finding Sky. 

The way in which 'family' is depicted within this series pulls at my heart strings and emphasises that we can make our own families and they should be cherished. 

Finding Sky was a really hard act to follow because it was just so amazing. Stealing Phoenix lives up to it yet provides a fresh new take on the characters, setting and addition to the plot. I am seriously hooked on this series and I wish I could get my next fix as soon as possible. 

Seriously go read it you won't regret it.