Customer Reviews

The Phoenix Charm

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Phoenix Charm is indeed a charming paranormal romance. The story of Michael, the smooth-tongued, quick-to-laugh twin brother of Nial we met in The Magic Knot. When he roams through various worlds with the lovely Cordelia, Michael reveals his inner strength and depth of feelings as he offers his life to save his little nephew. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, description and fast pace of this new fairy tale by Helen Scott-Taylor.

Michael O'Connor is the twin brother of the new king of the piskies. Nial is the steady, dependable one while Michael seems determined to have a good time. He lacks responsibility or so it seems to Cordelia Tink who is a wise woman with a secret. They don't much like one another or so it seems. Then one of the king's sons is stolen. Michael and Cordelia must go into the Underworld to retrieve the child. The character growth in this book is very well done.

This is one of the best books I've read recently. Truly magical world building that isn't like anything else. Helen Scott Taylor has a way with words. I stayed up late to finish this and was sad when I realized it was over. I will definitely put this on my keeper shelf. Cordelia was a heroine I could cheer for. She grew and changed and blossomed in this book and not just because of a man's love. She learned about herself and created possibilities in her own life. The unique link between she and Tamsy intrigued me. Taylor doesn't overwrite her books. She takes what could be just another story about fairies and turns it into a unique setting with engrossing characters that will leave you hungry for the next book. Definitely going on my list of favorite must-buy authors.

Cordelia is the Pisky Wise Woman and since the King is away for a few days, she's been left in charge. While alone, she spends time looking into her divination bowl and spies upon Michael doing erotic things with other women. She yearns for him but cannot act upon her desires. She is half water nymph and her allure is dangerous.

Michael is fairy and his rakish charm and handsome looks are widely known by the women folk. His recent companion, Nightshade, is a Nightstalker aka Vampire. Though they may share a blood bond, Michael wishes it to go no further to Nightshades dismay. What Michael would really like to do is get a peek under Cordelia's high buttoned long dresses.

When a portal to the Underworld is unexpectedly opened, the guardians blame Cordelia and Michael and take the King's son Finian as part of the bargain to seal it. Michael and Cordelia, her cat familiar Tamsy, her son and Nightshade start a trek to the Underworld to beg favor of Finian's release. Along the way, Michael is given the Phoenix Dagger from his father Troy, who says he will need it to free Finian.

The council denies Michael's request for Finian's release, so he offers his life for Finian's. Michael's curse is the Phoenix Charm. He cannot die. If he is stabbed with the Phoenix dagger, than the Phoenix dagger can bring him back to life if he is grounded in the living world. They work out a plan among them, and Michael must bond with Cordelia so he can return to the living after he frees Finian. The problem arises when, after Michael gives Cordelia his mind, body, and soul, she only gives him her body. Her soul and mind are already bonded to her familiar Tamsy. Hopefully that will be enough, but even the greatest of plans can run afoul.

THE PHOENIX CHARM is a romantic fantasy of epic proportions. Ms. Taylor does a remarkable job of world building. Her attention to detail had me entranced. The sizzling passion between Michael and Cordelia, along with the jealously of Nightshade had me up late turning the pages breathless to see what would happen next. Romantic Fantasy at it's best!

Michael O'Connor possesses a powerful fairy glamour that propels women to want him. Cordelia acts anything but a wise woman when she sees him half naked in her divination magical mirror. She vows to ignore him as magic disallows her from revealing to him who she is although she is falling in love with him. Having met, he considers her a pest, but secretly knows he wants her too.

When the Welsh King of the Underworld Gwyn ap Nudd, abducts Michael's infant nephew Fin, Cordelia joins him to rescue his relative. As they work together, Cordelia fears her attraction is blinding her to reality; yet she wants Michael to help her dig into her essence; however they both recognize the baby comes first.

The second British Isles romantic fantasy (see The Magic Knot) is a fast-paced action thriller from the moment Cordelia sees the half nude hunk in her mirror and wants more and less at the same time. She and Michael make the tale as neither is comfortable with their attraction, but need each other to rescue his nephew. Fans will enjoy the exciting The Phoenix Charm.

Harriet Klausner

STORY BRIEF:
The king and queen of the piskies are traveling to America. Michael is the king's half-brother and is in charge of the king's infant twin sons, Fin and Kea. Cordelia is half pisky and half water nymph. The king puts her in charge of governing the piskies while he is away - she's the wise one. Gwyn is king of the underworld. The Tylwyth Teg (Tegs) are entities who work for him. Some construction workers dig a hole in the ground which accidentally opens a gate to the underworld. Three Tegs come to the piskies and kidnap Fin, claiming someone must pay a price for opening the gate. Cordelia, Michael, and two others travel to the underworld to free Fin. Cordelia has magic abilities but cannot use them for two reasons: wards are painted on her skin, and her grandmother took away her mind and spirit stones. Cordelia doesn't want anyone to know that she is half water nymph, which means she is highly sexed.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
This reminds me a bit of "Lord of the Rings." A mixed group goes on a journey to free a baby taken by someone evil. They encounter various dangerous situations, most of which are due to magic being used against them. They get themselves out of trouble by using their own magic and magical objects. I was not engaged or entertained. I wanted it to be over. I read the first 170 pages, and then I jumped to the end reading the last chapter. I'd prefer more interesting characters. I wasn't emotionally drawn in to the characters or the plot.

Below are some examples of conflicts and exaggerations which I didn't like.

Wards are painted on Cordelia's skin which prevent her from healing Michael and getting energy from the water (p 35 and 69). Later in the story, she needs her magic so she just washes off the wards. (Why couldn't she do this earlier?)

"Michael was everything she desired. That made him the most dangerous person in the world." (p 92) (She desires him. That's not dangerous.)

"I daren't take her (the cat) into the council chamber in case they sense magic in her and disallow our case." (p 108) (Everyone else going into the chamber has magic abilities - why exclude this one?)

Examples of unnecessary mystery created with vague communication follow. These characters were on the same side. Why keep secrets? When asked a question, the other doesn't answer.

Nightshade asked Devin why he didn't vote for Michael in the council chamber. Devon said "That was not the plan" and then disappeared. (p 134)

Troy gives a dagger to Michael. Later Michael asks Troy "Why didn't you tell me what the dagger was for?" Troy replied "The time wasn't right." (p 161)

DATA:
Story length: 318 pages. Swearing language: moderate, including religious swear words. Sexual language: probably mild. At least one sex scene. Setting: unknown time Cornwall, United Kingdom. Copyright: 2010. Genre: paranormal romance.

I didn't get around to writing a review when i first read this book, but better late than never. I enjoyed this second book in the Magic Knot fairies series. Michael was my favorite character in the first book and I was waiting for his book. I wasn't sure about Cordelia at first but I grew to like her as the book went on. Nightshade is great in this story and Devin!! I hope he will have his own book. This is a good series, different to lots of the other paranormals out there. Quite original.

I normally do not read these kind of books but curosity got me to read this series. I am glad I did. I really enjoyed this book. To me it is original and fun to read. I hope there will be more books in this series since it is in a class of its own.

I was, most definitely, not charmed but dissapointed. I wish I had read the book as soon as I downloaded, and would have returned it after the first chapters to bet my money back because it is not a keeper. After Ms. Taylor's first work, I was very anxious to read the 2nd book of the series only to realize it was not of the same magic caliber. The only worthwhile player was Nightshade, who stayed true to character even if he suffered a brunt of sorrow and unjustice. Michael's coming of "age" (a bit late) was forced and contrived at best, and lost much more that he gained. The new and not so improved charmless Michael was no longer fun or likeable as before. You don't have to loose your charm, or be less fun to be responsible or an adult. Neither the "adventure" nor the romance had a spark; Cornelia and Michael's chemistry was just not there. Why? Because Cornelia is just not likable, she is just weird, selfish, prejudiced, and moreove who shares her soul with her cat UGHH?.. Yeah, one can adore a pooch and not want to mind meld with her or make her one's reason for living! And let's not forget sharp changes in direction, i.e. Troy's 180 degree change on his sons' abilities or his personal perceptions. The later is the type of problematic inconsistency found from book 1 through book 2, as it does not follow the logical sequential pathout but instead appears as a whimsical and random author's change of direction. However, one of the facts that made the reading a chore was the multi-cramming of too many Lore factoids into one volume without rhyme or reason. I just hope that Ms. Taylor can get the magic of her first story in the next try. Maybe the Phoenix was burned and will raise from its ashes next time?