Review: Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

Phoenix
by Elizabeth Richards
Series: Black City #2
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: June 4, 2013
Genre: YA Dystopian Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*:Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links support this blog
My review of book one: Black City 

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed. The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

I enjoyed Black City and Elizabeth’s Romeo and Juliet romance set against the backdrop of a dark and gritty dystopian world, so I was anxious to slip back into the series. Richards amped up the suspense, drama and delivered action-packed scenes in Phoenix the second novel.  I consumed this in a single afternoon and my three world review would be: intense, dramatic, heart-stopping.

We pick up a few months after Black City ended and Purian Rose is getting ready to hold the vote for Rose’s Law. He is determined to win. He threatens Natalie’s life if Ash doesn't vote in favor of the law. Ash has become a symbol for the movement against Rose’s Law and is referred to as the “Phoenix”. When Ash chooses to do the right thing all hell breaks loose and the tale that unfolds is fast pace, action packed and filled with romantic angst.

I struggled with Natalie and Ash a little in this book, not that they didn't feel genuine but rather their behavior. While I understood Natalie’s behavior it still made me want to scream. She thinks she is doing the right thing but I felt she was wrong, selfish and totally wanted to rip my hair out.  Ash is brave, confused, hurt, and I wanted him to just confront the issues head on. Elijah Theroux, the Bastet boy Natalie saved in her mom’s lab comes to her asking for help and offers a weapon to defeat Rose and his regime. He is an interesting character who aided them, added drama and at one point shook me to my core. Friends of Ash and Natalie are back and they make new friends as well. Each added to the overall tale. Sebastian makes appearances and ooh I loathe him. If Purian Rose doesn't make your blood run cold I don’t think anything ever will.

The suspenseful war between the people, darklings and government was thrilling and had me turning the pages as our heroes fought against unspeakable odds. There are dark moments, sacrifices and betrayals that had my heart racing. Total five star and exceeds the story of book one, however and this is a big however the character's romance made me totally crazy. They love each other; it’s clear to everyone and they have declared it to each other.  Something happens, and it’s a tearjerker, an earth-shattering thing but secrets, whispers, jealousy and lies blow it up and there are misunderstandings, pain, sorrow and  …ugh! It was frustrating and heartbreaking and eek gads people! Thankfully we get closure by the end of the book and I guess one could say the author had me full vested, rooting for them even as I wanted to slap them silly. The ending had my hear racing and loathing the idea of waiting a year for the final book.

Phoenix was emotional charged, intense tale that kept me immersed in its world. Despite my issues with the characters, Richards held me captive and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book which due out in 2014.

Four cups of coffee out of five from Mirror City

Review: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Black City
by Elizabeth Richards
Series: Black City #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: November 13, 2012
Genre: YA Dystopian
Source: purchase
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through links support this blog

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

I fell in love with the cover of Black City last year, but my tbr pile got in the way and then Penguin sent me Phoenix book two and I knew I just had to read this. Richards' offers us a post-apocalyptic love story that is bittersweet and wrapped in a dark and gritty world filled with propaganda, a ruthless leader and danger at every turn. I enjoyed this and quickly slipped into the world of Black City. 

When we enter the city we discover a dark and decaying world. The tale is told in the alternating perspective of Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling and Natalie Buchanan, daughter of the Emissary and human. Darklings and humans are separated by a huge wall and tension is escalating. Half-bloods are permitted to live with their human parents, and laws expressly forbid further mixing or breeding of races. When Ash and Natalie meet a bond is formed and Ash’s dormant heart begins to beat. A Romeo and Juliet romance, political upheaval, betrayal, danger and love are revealed as the tale unfolds.

When we meet Ash he has such a bad boy persona; drug dealer, law breaker and full of attitude, but in truth he is complicated, torn, sweet, and protective. He does not really fit in and the more I learned about him, the more I liked him. Natalie struggles with a lot of issues and really started out living in her own, “me” bubble. In fact I thought she was spoiled and shallow. Watching her develop as a character and to expand her views beyond herself was amazing. She is selfless, strong, kick-ass and I adored her. When the two of them meet, there is chemistry but they also dislike each other due to "race" issues. I found it powerful and fascinating to watch them recognize qualities they admired in each other and connect. There are secondary characters of interest that really help develop and strengthen the world Ash and Natalie live in. I felt they were all fairly developed and I loved that Richard’s made me connect with them whether it was because I loathed them, respected them or just out and out hated them.

In a world where loving a Darkling will see both human and darkling executed, this tale had a real Romeo and Juliet romance. What made this unique was the dark, gritty, brutal world that Richards placed them in. She gave us a really strong sense of the atrocities that humans inflicted upon Darklings with their leader Puritan Rose. It is a time of unrest, food shortages, and social gaps with a religious dictator ruling them all. Add in a deadly virus and things get interesting! She does a fantastic job of revealing the government’s propaganda further drawing us into the tale. The Darklings were fascinating and I enjoyed learning about the different breeds through Natalie. Hatred, addiction and an oppressive government are all hot topics and each thread was developed. The pacing was well done and I easily slipped into the world, the dual POV’s allowed me to gain an in-depth look at the characters. Their thoughts and actions also providing me insight into the two races. There are a few threads and hints of things that have me anxious for answers! I consumed this in two sittings and connected with the characters. The ending had my emotions all over the place and set things up perfectly for book two.

Fans of dark worlds, post-apocalyptic dystopians and Romeo and Juliet will enjoy Black City. Phoenix releases in June 2013, and is the second book in this trilogy. 

Four cups of Haze free coffee out of five

Clean Sweep Challenge Schedule for this weekend

Saturday May 18th 9am (EST)  Ali @ My Guilty Obsession
4pm (EST) Nicole @ The Reader's Antidote