Review: Freaking Fantastic- Kept me up for hours...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 5, 2012
I was recently offered the chance to read the third book in the Curse of the Pheonix series - The Last Beginning of Net Galley, but without much information I had no idea that it was the third book and that I would have to go back and read the first two to begin with. The premise sounded fantastic and unique and when February rolled around I wanted to get straight into it.Let me tell you for 2.99 it was more than a bargain.The Last Rising has one of the best first chapters I have read in a long time. Not only that, it is one of those stories that I was thinking about when I was not reading it and growing more excited knowing that there were more stories written by Rachel.From the get go I could feel the heat, the passion and compassion of the characters. I fell in love with Ice and her sassy yet sweet personality. Ice wasn't generic to me and the author gave her a wonderful balance of flaws and likable traits. I enjoyed the layered background history as the story progressed and the emotional inflictions she had with her past, present and future.I loved the concept of an Ancient Goddess Isis and the Phoenix being reborn into a new life and not having any memories of their previous mark. It is here that the tables are turned and Ice is brought back into the world where her previous mark starts to become a big part of her life. Turner was a fantastic character as well and despite Brodie being a bit annoying he was so darn cute and very like his father.It does help that I am in love with Egyptian Mythology and this was the perfect reason to rekindle my love of romance and interest in mythology. You also get to see a little of Osiris who's history is blended in with the story and it made me fall even more in love with Rachel's writing.For once here is a romance that I admired and grew to love and that had reason not just fate. I loved Rachel's writing it had fantastic pace and always had me guessing. There were some parts that I predicted, but it never once took away the great story that was The Last Rising and I cannot wait to get started on book Two The Last Awakening.This is a must read for fans of Paranormal Romance who like a little steamy sex but who also love their mythology and enjoy that heartwarming love that grows on you from page one. I will certainly be devouring anything Rachel has written.''''''