Title: Phoenix Rising
Author: Theo Fenraven
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages: 176
Characters: Artemis Gregory, Talis Kehk
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Fantasy, Contemporary, Romance
Kisses: 4.25
Blurb:
New York City homicide detectives Artemis Gregory and Rachel Wayland are first on the murder scene of a beautiful young gay man, the third victim of a serial killer dubbed the Moon Killer by the department. Their investigation leads them to Talis Kehk, charismatic lead singer of the rock group Phoenix Rising. As the next full moon approaches, Artemis and his partner uncover clues that lead straight to Talis—even as Talis, exhibiting behavior Artemis finds strange indeed considering the circumstances, uses every means possible to keep Artemis close.
Artemis could never fall in love with a murderer, could he? Innocent or not, Talis has a secret… and it’s about to change Artemis’s world forever.
Review:
Phoenix Rising is the first book I’ve read by Theo Fenraven and it definitely won’t be my last! When I requested to read and review the book I had no idea the level of suspense the novel had. I loved the creative world building as well as the uniquely interesting characters that Mr. Fenraven wrote and the story ended up being one of those books I read from start to finish without taking any sort of break.
The blurb does an excellent job at setting up the story, so I won’t rehash it. Plus, I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll try to tread lightly with my review. I do think I need to warn some readers. Both Talis and Artemis must deal with the harsh reality of Talis being a Phoenix. Some of the things he must do isn’t always pretty, but he must do it to survive. If this bothers you, you should not read this book. Personally I thought there was a good balance to the Phoenix’s behavior. Even though he must take someone’s life essense (they have to be willing) to stay alive, the Phoenix does A LOT of good for mankind in general too.
Artemis really enjoys being a cop and really tries to do the right thing. So when he meets Talis, he really has to question almost everything about himself and his beliefs to be with him. This is not something that is easy for Artemis. It takes a lot of soul-searching and truly getting to know Talis before he’s able to come to terms with their love and relationship together. Although they were immediately drawn and attracted to each other, there still had to get to know each other before they truly fell in love with each other. As a reader I appreciated this slow buildup and enjoyed watching them work through all obstacles for the chance of finding happiness and a life together.
Both heroes are interesting and I liked them together. I liked the sizzling chemistry they had between them and thought their emotional connection between them made this an even more enjoyable read. If you are looking for a really good romance with an edgy, suspenseful plot, I think Phoenix Rising is definitely something you should consider. I know I enjoyed it and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author. Recommended!
Reviewed By: Gabbi
