The phoenix keeper really tapped into the inherent coziness I experience when I head to the zoo. Seeing animals in their natural habitat, experiencing different flora and fauna in their home environments (I especially love it when they’ve matched the temperature and humidity so that you can feel it) and just experiencing a relaxing stroll during all of it. It’s one of the few times I can really take in the sights without thinking of much else.

Having grown up with a grandpa who worked at a zoo and always had exotic animals at home that I’d help take care of, it made me think fondly on odd things such as getting frozen chicks from the freezer (where the bread was also located) and to chop them up to feed to the owls and buzzard in the backyard, or holding a bunch of snakes around my neck while watching a tv show on the couch while grandpa was cleaning their tank. Im glad it took me on a trip down memory lane. 

So the book scores 100% on that cozy feeling. And another 100% on passion for animals, especially from a conservationist standpoint. Ailes excitement and passion for contributing to bringing more phoenixes into the world to help eventually reintroduce them into the wild is a noble cause and quite infectious. Seeing her grow to care about more then them, over her rivalry with her former crush, and over her fear of public speaking was a nice arc, and the bit of tension with fear of losing it all at the end before the fairytale ending brought the book to a nice close. 

I enjoyed the book alot and I too would like some phoenix merch now.